The 'END' of the Story's End
by DaRkNeSs4IcHi
Summary: Follows After the Movie: the Conqueror of Shamballa. Will they finally be able to find a place that they can call "Home"? A journey back to Resembool. CHAPTER 14 "EPIPHANY" is finally out! Winry sees through Ed's eyes and Ed sees through Winry's! R&R !
1. Chapter 1 After All that's Happened

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

(Authors side note: This story takes place after the movie "The Conqueror of Shamballa", though I fast forwarded it to the part where the Elric Brothers have already taken care of the Uranium Bomb and are now living in the 'Other' world trying as hard as they can to fit in. PS. Instead of basing the events before the movie to the anime version, I based it instead on the Manga/Brotherhood version)

**Chapter 1 – After All that's Happened.**

2 years has passed since the gates were last opened, times have changed and peace is already at arms reach both in the 'Alchemy' world and the 'Other' world.

"Hey Brother! Quit slacking off! We need to finish chopping fire wood before it gets too dark!" Alphonse Elric shouted over his shoulder addressing his older brother Edward who was taking a break from chopping wood & lay down on his back to watch the sky fill with stars.

"Ah, we already have enough to last us for a week…" Edward answered back in defense, "And besides, it 'IS' dark" He complained while staring back at the stars.

"Jeez Brother! You're so lazy! You just want to relax!" Alphonse retorted as he too laid down next to Edward and resigned from chopping wood. They both gazed at the stars for a while before Edward interrupted the silence.

"Hey, Al…"

"Yes, Brother?"

"Do you miss home?"

"Huh? What do you mean brother? Our house is just at the end of this trail" Al sat up and pointed the direction of their new home.

"No, I mean, our old home, in Amestris."

Alphonse stared at his brother, a little surprised with his brother's sudden question.

"But brother, we don't have a home there anymore, you said so yourself?!"

"Winry said we do…" Ed gazed at Al, his eyes filled with certainty. "Winry said we're family." Edward looked back at the sky again. "Winry and Old Lady Pinako, they're family…"

Alphonse smiled at the thought 'Family' and added, "Don't forget about Den brother" He then laid back down next to Edward and once again stared at the now star filled sky.

***

"Now, you take care of your automail! If you don't oil it every once in a while it'll rust again!" Winry Rockbell called after her customer who has just bid her goodbye.

"Yes Ms. Rockbell!"

Smiling at herself. Winry re-entered her work room and started to pick up tools she left on her desk after re-tuning and oiling her customer's automail.

"Some people just don't know how to take care of their automail, Mr. Smith is just like Edwa~" she paused, her smile instantly gone, "Oh, that guy." Her smile re-appearing on her lips, a sad aura emanating from them. "I wonder if he's looking after his automail properly…." She wondered, continuing to tidy up her work space.

"Winry! Someone is here looking for you!" Lady Pinako called up from the stairs.

"Coming Grandma!"

***

Dashing down the stairs, Winry headed directly for the front door. "Who is it Gran~" Stopping on her tracks Winry stared in amazement. After the gates were closed she rarely received calls from people at central, and so, standing here face to face with the Fuhrer wasn't something she ever expected to happen, even if she did knew him.

"Fuhrer Mustang? What brings you here?" She asked in surprise.

"Come now, Winry, you can still call me Roy" Roy Mustang smiled at her, offering his hand to shake.

(Note: I know it's a custom that the 'Woman' offers HER hand to shake when it's a MAN-to-WOMAN situation, but since Winry is a bit in a state of shock, Roy offered his hand to shake to break the Ice. *ComArts 101*)

"Ah, yes, sorry. I guess I couldn't put aside the 'Fuhrer' part easily!" She shook his hand with hers while giving off an embarrassed-smile. "So, what brings you here? Did something happen? I didn't expect the 'Fuhrer' to drop by, why didn't you just call Mr. Mustang?"

"I have news for you Winry, and the contents of which isn't something others should here about." Roy gave her a loaded glance before stepping inside.

"News?" Winry asked in astonishment. She wasn't expecting news, and she definitely had no idea what Roy was talking about. "News about what sir?" she asked while gesturing Roy towards the kitchen.

**End of Chapter 1 – After All that's Happened.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 1! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 2 – One shot Chance**


	2. Chapter 2 One Shot Chance

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 2 – One Shot Chance.**

"Brother! Dinners ready!" Al called out while placing their meals on the table. "What are you doing up there anyway?"

"Ah, nothing. I was just oiling my automail. Lately some parts got difficult to control, I guess I forgot to oil it last month." Edward grumbled to himself while walking down the stairs to join his brother for dinner.

"Winry has always reminded you to look after it! You never learn brother! You know that you have to always keep it at top condition!" Al nagged his brother before shoving food in his mouth, "Remember, you can't have this one broken too! This is the last automail you have!" Alphonse reminded him in between chews.

"Yeah… you're right." Edward sighed, looking down at his plate.

Sensing his brother's sudden gloom Al interjected, "Still miss Alchemy world?" he then put down his spoon, feeling that he too miss his world, and their home town Resembool.

"Hey! Hey! What's with that face?! I wasn't moping so quit it! It's just that I keep forgetting to oil my automail and it gets bothersome when it rusts! That's all! Now quit acting like that!" Edward blurted out. "Now let's eat before the food gets cold!" He continued, then grabbed a loaf of bread and stuffed his mouth with it. "Wow! This bread taste great! Did you make it yourself Al?" He continued to blab about the food while Alphonse stared at him, not entirely convinced with the act his brother is putting up.

Later.

_Sigh. _"Brother is such a Pig! Sleeping with his stomach exposed again!" Alphonse nitpicked after noticing that his brother had fallen asleep at the couch with his belly button exposed. He then turned and headed for his brothers room to get Ed a blanket and pillow. "He never changes, always needing to be looked after" Alphonse went on, feeling that he's the responsible one. "I wonder who has taken care of him when he was stuck in this world alone, they must have had a hard time looking after my Brother." He thought as he picked up Ed's blanket and pillow that sat on Ed's untidy bed.

He then headed back to the living room and leaned down to cover Ed with the cloth when he heard him murmur. "Win…ry…" And turned in his sleep, murmuring incoherently "don't… ench…. Iot…"

Smiling, Al added "You really must miss her brother." He stood up, feeling a little at ease that his brother has not forgotten about the people they have left, _I wonder why do I feel comforted with that…_ Al wondered, as he turned and went for the stairs, he gave one more glance at Edward before proceeding going up the stairs, remembering the choice his brother had made that they at Central a few years back.

***

"_I have to close the gate from the other side" Edward had said after disconnecting the wing where AL and Mustang where standing on._

"_But brother! I just got you back!" Alphonse shouted back at his brother, reaching towards Edward but was held back by Mustang._

"_Tell Winry thanks for the automail, she always does the best!"_

_***_

"Brother always doing what's right… for whatever the cost," _Sigh._ "'That choice must have been really hard to choose when he really wanted to return home in the first place…" Alphonse went on. "It must have been really hard giving us all up to do what's right." He said stopping to look down, eyes getting moist. "If only I tried to get him back through some other way… Brother had to fix the mess I have done." Alphonse glanced down the stairs, only seeing Edward's feet dangling off of the couch. His eyes continuing to tear up as he thought of all the sacrifice Edward has done for him.

"Brother, I promise, I will find a way to get us back! I will find a way to go HOME!"

***

"WHAT?! ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" Winry demanded, pounding her fist hard against the dinning table. "We… We can?" She asked again uncertain.

"Yes, there is a slight possibility, but it's not that easy, the idea still lacks support though. We're still missing a major detail, but it could be possible, I am informing you this because I know that you care about those boys, and you're like family to them."

Roy explained to Winry seriously.

"But still, there certainly is a… chance? A chance…. that… we can get them… back?" Winry asked, feeling her hands shake and tremble.

Winry and Roy stared into each others eyes for a long time before Roy finally answered, "Yes."

**End of Chapter 2 – One Shot Chance.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 2! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 3 – The Rules Exception.**


	3. Chapter 3 The Rules Exception

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 3 – The Rules Exception.**

"Hey Al? Al?" _Yawn_. "Where are you?" Edward slumped towards the kitchen looking for his younger brother Alphonse, "AL? hey? Hmnn….? Where is he?" He asked, asking no one in particular while glancing at the clock, _four o'clock_, he thought, "It's still too early." _Yawn! _Continuing hi search Edward headed for his brother's room, then the backyard, but still no sign of Alphonse. "Weird? He usually leaves a note or wakes me up when he leaves…." Edward murmured, heading for the kitchen again. "At least he left some breakfast." He sighed in relief sitting down at his usual chair and ate in silence. "He rarely bakes Croissants," _Chew._ "This is a surprise, " _Chew. Chew. _Edward commented in between bites.

After finishing up his breakfast Edward stood up, picking up his dishes and heading towards the sink to wash them. After opening the tap, Edward absent mindedly picked up the dish soap from the shelf and poured it on the dishes, "I really hate getting my automail wet in this world." he went on, reaching for the drawer where he kept his right hand rubber glove, "It's annoying to dry it and get the water out without the use of any alchemy." _Sigh._ "After all the trouble, I still wasn't able to get my limbs back…"

He paused to put the dish soap back on the shelf before he used it all up. "I don't get why Winry thinks artificial limbs are better than the flesh ones, it takes too much effort taking care of them." He whined, entertaining more thoughts about Winry and home.

"I wish I could take my automail back for a maintenance," He grinned, _That would have been knew, me coming home just to get my arm retuned instead of being rebuilt from scratch after destroying it. Haha… _he thought, amused. _Sigh. _"Well it has been out of shape lately~OUCH!" Edward cried out in surprise. His automail hand slipped its grip on the knife he was washing and sliced open his left palm. Dark red liquid gushed forth from his palm and poured over the newly cleaned dishes.

"SHIT!" Edward complained while grabbing a table cloth that was dangling off of a shelf and mopped his wound with it. "Damn it! I got cut!" Irritated, Edward to continue to press the cloth against his wound to stop the bleeding, when the bleeding lessened he then resumed washing the –now bloody– dishes. "This would never have happened if only my automail functioned properly! It's been less accurate lately, like the nerve signals are always late or something… " he mumbled to himself while taking the dishes out of the sink and drying them up.

After taking care of the dishes Edward refaced the kitchen, thinking about what he would do to kill time while Al's not yet back.

"…." He slumped again. "Darn, I don't have anything to do in this world!" he complained while grabbing the table cloth again and tending to –his still open– wound. "Damn it! Not being able to use Alchemy SUCKS! And this stupid cut won't stop BLEEDING!" he complained more, annoyed by his streak of bad luck.

"Now, where did Al put the first aid kit again?" opening drawers and peeking at shelves, "Ah! There it is!" he said as he spotted the small shoe box that bore the words 'Medical Kit', at the top shelf just next to a jar of sugar. Edward reached up, forcing his body to stretch upward. Though he had grown in the last few years he still had trouble reaching for the kit because his automail arm won't stay still and kept swaying off course, then _**CRASH!!!**_

Edward's automail knocked the jar out of the shelf and caused it to smash onto the floor, shattering the glass and spreading sugar everywhere.

Furious with his own mistake, Edward clapped his hands together, out of reflex reaction, then slammed his hands on the floor touching the sugar and shattered glass.

_**SSHHHHRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!**_

Before Edward's eyes the glass jar reformed and the sugar back in place.

"A… Alchemy…" Edward whispered in astonishment. "I… I just-just did Alchemy?""

Edward stared at the jar of sugar in front of him.

"Aha… AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!" I JUST DID ALCHEMY!" Edward picked up the jar, still screaming with amusement. "I USED _ALCHEMY_!!" he announced again lifting the jar just above his head while smiling at it like a father smiling proudly at his new first born son, then…. _SLIP._

_**CRASH!!!!!**_

Ed slipped on the bloody table cloth and hit his head hard against the corner of the sink.

**End of Chapter 3 – The Rules Exception.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 3! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 4 – The Inevitable Possibility.**


	4. Chapter 4 The Inevitable Possibility

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

********

(Ichi wrote: Ah, before I start with "Chapter 4 – The Inevitable Possibility" I would want to clear something 'coz it may confuse some of the anime fanatics, ahaha! So here I go: I am going to base Winry and Rose's friendship on the manga version instead of the anime version, and so, Rose doesn't have a kid. ^_^ I just wanted to clarify that so you wouldn't wonder about where did her kid go. ahahaha)

**Chapter 4 – The Inevitable Possibility. (Revised)  
**

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

Demanding fist continued to pound against Rose's door.

"Coming! Coming!" _Yawn. _"Who is it?" she asked while opening her door a little to peek at her late-night visitor.

"Rose-san!" The strange called, her voice cracking.

"Eh?" Rose said squinting. "Wi…Winry-san?"

***

"Rose-san! I can get them back! Ed and Al! they can come back!" Winry stated after finishing her story of how the Fuhrer had visited her home and told her the good news. "Can you believe it?" Winry chocked out, her voice cracking while fighting down tears.

Rose had let her in and served her coffee and biscuits in the kitchen. "They can come back…" she sobbed dryly again, her whole frame trembling with the idea of Ed and Al coming home. Rose hadn't interrupted her while she recounted her and Mustang's conversation, she just listened to Winry while keeping a calm face.

"Winry-san…" Rose finally said. "Please don't get your hopes 'TOO' high." Rose finished off her sentence, staring at Winry with a tortured and pained expression.

"Huh? But Rose-san the Fuhrer said he can bring them back." Winry stared blankly at Rose, her eyes looked like they would tear.

"Don't make the same mistake I did Winry-san." Rose looked down at her own cup of coffee tears building up, "Don't get your hopes up too high. Edward won't be here to comfort you if it gets crushed this time." Rose closed her eyes, letting the tears flow down her cheek and drips on to her drink.

"_Stand up with your own legs, and keep moving forward." _

Edward has told Rose before.

Winry's eyes widened, her lips automatically pressed in a hard line as her heart skipped a beat.

"_Edward won't be here to comfort you this time…" _

The words echoed in her head.

Winry looked down, unable to speak, her heart beating off rhythm as her chest tightened. "Ed... Al...." her mind screamed their names. She found herself on the brink of tears, and then she remembered something. Her hands shot up towards her face in one swift move and _PINCHEEEEEDD _each cheek so hard she shrieked, "OWWEEEIIIIIIIIIII~!" making Rose jump out of her seat in alarm.

"Winry-san what are you doing?!!" Rose asked in bewilderment as she saw Winry's cheek swell and redden due to her own powerful pinch.

"Ahahaha!!" she laughed, now rubbing her sore cheeks. "I just couldn't cry. Not yet." She smiled at Rose as her cheeks continue to ache.

***

"Hey Winry-san? Is the bath water hot enough?" Rose called at Winry, while she stood in front of the bathroom door.

"Yes Rose-san! It's just right! Thanks for letting me use your bathroom!" Winry answered back, relaxing in the tub filled with ward water and scented bubble bath soap.

"Just tell me if you need anything okay?" Rose called again, shifting her position, about to leave when Winry suddenly said, "AH! Wait!"

"What is it? Do you need anything else?" Rose paused mid-step.

"About last night, thank you."

Rose Froze. "Winry-san I haven't done anything, there's nothing to thank me f~"

"No! you stopped me from hoping too much! … I appreciate it…"

"Ah, Winry-san, it's not that I didn't want you to… believe in it, it's just that, you were…."

"Expecting too much?" Winry finished Rose's sentence.

"Hai… I don't want you to put too much trust in it, and get hurt as much in return if something 'Inevitable' were to happen." Though Rose and Winry weren't staring eye to eye, Rose averted her gaze, hating herself to be the bearer of bad news.

"Inevitable…" Winry repeated the word, sounding unsure of its meaning.

"Winry-san, there are so many things that could go wrong. All of them are possible to happen, sorry for sounding so pessimistic, but there is a big chance that things might not go the way you expect it to be." Rose explained, her painful experience of losing her family and boyfriend, then getting even more hurt when she was forced to accept that her beloved can never come back, served as a reminder to her, it made her strong and thought her that she should always keep her guard up 'coz the inevitable can happen and there's nothing she can do about it but to accept it, and move forward. Like Edward had taught her.

"_Stand up with your own legs and keep moving forward."_

"Hey, Rose-san, can you tell me those 'Inevitable' things that can happen…" Winry asked her as she dipped herself more in the tub, feeling as though she wouldn't really want to hear about it but still asked for it anyway. "I wanna know everything that 'could' happen."

"Winry-san, are you sure you want to know? I don't think you should force~"

"Please Rose-san!" Winry pleaded burying her face in her hands to hide the pathetic frown she knew now dominated her face.

"I want to know what may happen. I don't want to just sit around and wait then just get surprised if something DOES happen…" She explained as her voice sounded hoarse while she fought back tears.

_"Now is not the time to cry!"_she told herself bravely. _"Edward promised the next time you cry would be out of HAPPINESS!"_ she reminder herself.

the possibility of Ed and Al returning was overwhelming, but she also knew that she shouldn't get too excited about it, knowing that it was still too good to be true.

"Please tell me…" Winry pleaded again in a much calmer voice.

"…" Rose paused and leaned on the bathroom door, "Winry-san I understand how you feel, you want to believe you can get them back don't you? But you also know that something can go wrong?"

"Yes… I know, please tell me what you think could go wrong."

"Ed and Al left to close the gate on the other side right?"

"Right."

Rose took a deep breath before she continued.

"Well, things might not go according to plans on this side. The Fuhrer might fail to re-open the gates…." Her voice trailing away, not utterly comfortable on doubting the Fuhrer's capabilities.

"… True. There is that, but I believe Mr. Mustang can open it."

"Well, yeah, he might be able to." Rose agreed, trying to sound not so convinced so that Winry won't expect so much. "But there's still Edward and Alphonse's side."

"What do you mean?" Asked Winry. Confusion swept across her facial features, not able to follow Rose's chain of thoughts.

"They knew that they may never be able to come back, bit still went. They gave everything up and expected to be stuck there…" Rose went on, recounting everything Winry has told her about the sacrifice the brothers has done to close the gates that connected the Alchemy world and the other world.

"They… have probably made that world their home by now…"

Rose smiled sadly, knowing that the brothers were capable of moving forward to this extent, accepting a new home.

In the bath Winry stared wide-eyed at the water's surface that was now covered with bubbles. Her mind racing in sudden realization. "_Of course! They probably thought they will never be able to come back!_"

"Uhm, we don't even know if they're ok. They could be… they could be…." Rose hesitated, wondering if she should even tell her.

"'they could be' ~ what Rose-san?"

"They could be… They could be dead for all we know." She chocked the words out in such a low rush that it was nearly impossible for Winry to understand the words. Rose hated herself for even having the idea.

A long pause.

"Don't worry Rose-san…" Winry's voice sounded hoarse, Rose would bet anything that she had been silently crying in that long silence. "They won't die easily." She assured her, her faith in those brothers never fading.

"Yeah, you're right, they are tough." Rose gave a nervous laugh, not pressing the idea more. But then something in her mind clicked.

"Winry-san, please don't think much of this, it's just a possibility okay?"

"Huh? What is? What possibility?"

"They could have moved on," She said in a small voice, another sad smile on her lips. "Started their new life. Even if the Fuhrer successfully opens the gates, what if they've already got new lives there? What if they wouldn't want to come back?" Rose asked feeling crestfallen. There is no denying it. This possibility was the most likely to have happened by now.

Winry realized what Rose meant. A sense of dreadfulness took over her, eating all hopes that resided in her _"Masaka...!_ _That can't happen right?" _she thought forcing her mind to accept her argument but failed. _"But… no… that would be normal, anyone would do the same, Ed and Al will surely move forward… then…" _ She stopped the thought there, forcing herself to concentrate on scrubbing her left forearm to avoid admitting the odds.

"Winry-san? Are you okay?" Rose asked nervously, Winry's sudden lack of response and sudden silence scared Rose.

"Ah! Yeah! I'm okay! Sorry I was just scrubbing my arm!"

"Winry-san please don't think too much of it! It was just an Idea and~"

"No, it's okay! I'm fine! Uhm, Rose-san I'll talk to you later okay? I'll just finish my bath." Winry called from the tub, her tone unreadable.

"Ah, okay." Rose didn't argue and left.

**End of Chapter 4 – The Inevitable Possibility.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 4! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 5 – An Opening.**

**Ichi notes:**

**Ah! Thank you all for reading my fic! I really appreciate it! I'm so happy that only after 3 days, 79 people have already read my story! Thank you so much for sparing some time to read my Fic! DOMO ARIGATOU!**

**I would also like to thank my Best Friend Hotaru for helping me with the story by editing some of the parts I have over looked! And I'm also really grateful to her for always supporting me!**

**Oh, I would also like to dedicate this Chapter to Ä3-kun.**

**Belated Happy Birthday Ä3-kun! **

**Sorry I wasn't able to finish this fic in time for your birthday! Gomen for that!**

**(Ä3-kun, bday 05/31)**

**THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR READING THIS!**

**I will do my best on the next chapters!**

**^_^**


	5. Chapter 5 An Opening

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 5 – An Opening.**

"Brother! Brother! Wake up!" Cried Alphonse's worried voice while lifting his brother in a sitting position.

"A~Al?" Edward asked, regaining consciousness. "Is that you?" he sat up on his own leaning his head on one hand. "Ow! What happened?" He asked.

"Brother are you okay? I found you unconscious! Did something happened?" Al hovered over Ed as worry cross his face.

"I don't… remember…" Ed said, his head still hurts from hitting the sink.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. Ah, but my head hurts!" He said slightly wobbled.

"Ah?! Brother what's with all this sugar?" Al suddenly asked, realizing that the white stuff scattered on the floor was actually sugar.

"Huh?! Sugar?" Edward followed Al's gaze and stared at the sugar trying to remember what was the sugar for. Then it clicked.

"AAAAAAAAH! AL! I remember!" Edward bolt upright, fists clenched tight.

"WHAT?!" Al responded in surprise, also standing up.

"AL! AL! I DID ALCHEMY!" Edward announced in glee, grabbing his brother's shirt collar. "I DID ALCHEMY!"

"What?! What are you saying Brother?! You know we can't use~"

"No I'm SERIOUS! I did Alchemy! That jar of sugar!" He pointed at the shattered glass and scattered sugar. "I transmuted it back to pieces when I broke it!"

"Huh?! What are you talking about Brother?!"

"Look I fixed it! The jar and~huh?" Edward turned and pointed down only to realize that the jar was no in pieces.

"…" Edward and Alphonse stared at the scattered sugar and the glass that was the jar for a long pause.

Then Alphonse started to laugh. "Ahahahha, Brother are you okay? I think you might have hit your head too hard! Ahahaha!" he laughed again, wiping tears of laughter off of his eyes.

"AH! STOP LAUGHING!"

"I'm serious AL!"

"But Brother if you really did transmute that jar back, then why is it still in pieces?" He argued, holding back laughter.

"Ah…" Was all Edward has said as he recounted the events earlier than suddenly remembering something. His whole body turning into stone. "…"

"Bro~ Brother?' Alphonse asked, watching his brother go white.

"I DROPPED IT WHEN I SLIPPED!!!!!!!!" Edward suddenly exploded with annoyance. "GAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" He screamed, can't believe his own clumsiness.

Later.

"I'm serious Al! I did fix it!" Edward explained again while slamming his fists at the table.

"I told you Brother I believe you! Even if I can't be sure I still believe you!" Alphonse assured him for the umpteenth time.

"But you're making it sound like you have no choice!" Edward shouted at his Brother, annoyed.

"Ahahaha! I'm just messing with you Brother!" Alphonse laughed. "But seriously are you sure??" He asked after forcing back a smile.

"OF COURSE I AM!" Edward shouted at his brother more, acting as if Al just called him shorty.

"But how? How could that be possible? This world doesn't have Alchemy right? We have tried to use Alchemy before remember?" Alphonse said, getting serious as well.

"I know Al, but I'm telling you what I did was Alchemy. Let me think." Said Edward, and began to concentrate. _"This parallel world doesn't host alchemy, our world does, but what does fuel alchemy in our world?" _Then Edward suddenly remembered the time when he used a stone. _"The stone, It's like an alchemy amplifier. No, it is an amplifier. And those stones where made from humans, human souls to be exact."_

"Energy" Edward whispered.

"What is it Brother." Alphonse asked, also breaking his own chain of thoughts.

"No, I just remembered something." He shook the idea off his head, trying to concentrate again. "Hey Al, remember what I told you before? About how I accidentally reopened the gates?"

"Hmn? You mean when I transferred my soul to an armor and went through the gate to find you?"

"Exactly!" Edward encouraged.

"Then that means…"

"There is a possibility that Alchemy can work here!" Edward smiled triumphant.

"But Brother! Why couldn't we use it when we tried after returning here?"

"Good point…." Edward answered, head cocking to the side, at Alphonse's question.

The brothers stared at each other, both thinking of connection and trying to create a hypothesis that may explain the rules exception.

"….."

After a looooonnnnnngggggggg pause…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE! WHAT DOES A GUY HAVE TO DO HERE TO BE ABLE TO USE ALCHEMY!!!" Edward screamed, standing abruptly his hand shoot up to grab his head and turned from left to right, while Alphonse leaned his head on the table, admitting defeat. "THIS BASTARD WORLD IS SO WEIRD! I SWEAR I WILL FIND A WAY TO USE ALCHEMY AND WILL TRANSMUTE THIS WORLD INTO A ROCK!"

"Ah! Brother calm down!" Alphonse called from the table, while his older brother continued to curse this world and everything that has never done anything wrong against him.

**End of Chapter 5 – An Opening.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 5! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 6 – The Brothers New Goal.**


	6. Chapter 6 The Brothers New Goal

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 6 – The Brothers New Goal.**

"Fuhrer Mustang, are you sure of this sir?" Brigadier General Hawkeye asked the Fuhrer for the umpteenth time. "Sir, with all do respect, this sounds risky!"

"I know General. It's risky, but I can't just look the other way this time."

"Sir, I know you want to help the Elric Brothers, but reopening the gates~"

"Yes, I know that to. But if we don't permanently close the doors, that incident from 2years ago might happen again. The world on the other side of the gates seems to be interested in our Alchemy, and would wish to conquer this world, or if they fear us that much, engage war." Fuhrer Mustang explained confidently.

"And Sir, about the matter regarding the stones? You issued a ban and labeled it 'taboo' then you will use it? Fuhrer don't you think you're contradicting yourself?"

"Riza…" The Fuhrer whispered her name with a gentle pleading voice. "I know my plans sound insane, but I assure you it'll be for the better, not just to help the brothers, or satisfy my guilt or pride. I'm doing this to permanently end all this sacrifice and research about the stones. Without the gate, no one will ever be able to create a Philosophers stone, and without the stones the military will be able to handle rebels and war magnitudes, no sweat. And in time, wars will be a thing of the past." Roy elucidated. Feeling confident of his plans.

Riza just stared at Roy, taking in his determined look. And when she found no hint of doubt, she shook her head in mock pity, as if acting like what she heard was the most insanely stupid idea in the world, and yet she squared her shoulders and saluted before saying, "I understand Sir!" Roy smiled at her response. "What are your orders Sir?" Riza asked the grinning Fuhrer.

Roy sat back in his chair, his grin broadening as he ordered. "Get Dr. Marcoh, I need his knowledge in his field of expertise. Put Armstrong on the phone, there is a lot that I have to ask him. Call in Lt. Colonel Havoc, Major Breda, 1st Lt. Falman, and 2nd Lt. Fuery, we're having a reunion." He smirked at Riza before turning his seat to face the window.

"Yes Sir!" With that Riza left. Hurrying to gather every one of her old colleagues.

"Fullmetal, just wait, we will get you and Alphonse back!" He smirked to himself more. "Guess you'll own me big time for this pipsqueak."

***

"AACCHOOOUU~!!"

"Got a cold brother?" Alphonse asked Edward.

"Nah, Just sneezed, hey Al? Are these ripe yet?" Edward asked, pointing at some tomatoes.

_Sigh._ "Brother… after all this time you still can't tell which are ripe and not? I wonder how you'll survive without me." Al sighed again, picking up the ripe tomatoes.

"Ahahahaha! You know I'm not good at chores!" Edward laughed apologetically at Al while al pouted at his older brother, getting suspicious that he's using this as an excuse to do fewer chores.

Al remembered something. "Brother, about yesterday, have you gotten any idea how you were able to transmute that jar?" Alphonse asked, facing Ed.

"Hmn… not yet." Edward turned his back on Al, resuming his chores and picking up more vegetables.

"I was up all night thinking about it, but I couldn't figure it out. I feel like I'm missing something here. I still don't know how was able to transmute."

"If only you didn't drop the jar again, it would have been nice to have something to study…" Alphonse sighed again, feeling that it was such a pity that his brother had dropped the jar.

"OKAY I GET IT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!" Edward screamed at his brother, getting all worked up.

"Ahahaha, sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Alphonse laughed, his brother always has been short tempered. "But brother, did you try to transmute something else after that?"

"Yeah, I did, bit still nothing." Edward went back to his chores, sighing as well. "I even retraced my steps, but still nothing" He then bent low and was about to pull a carrots off of its roots when he suddenly realized something. "Al! Where did you go yesterday?" Edward asked, turning to face his brother.

"Huh? Ah! I just went for a walk brother!" Alphonse blurted out his quick reply.

"At 4 in the morning!?" Edward asked suspiciously, while remembering it was four o'clock when he woke up.

"Ah? I just… wanted some fresh air!" Al backed up, his face seating hard, and then gave a nervous laugh. "a~hahahahaha…"

"AAAALLLLLLL……..!!!" Edward hovered, his face looking like an illustration of the demon god as he gobbled up souls.

"AAAHH!!! I just went for a walk!" Al said, sticking to his story, sweating even harder.

"YOU'RE SUCH A BAD LIAR AL! SPIT IT OUT! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN YOU IDIOT~!!!" Edward shouted as he launched himself forward at Al, locking his little brother in some sort of restrain and repeatedly loosening and tightening his grip on his brother's neck and left arm, torturing Al to tell the truth.

"AH! DON'T CALL ME ~" _Choke. _"AN IDIOT ~" _Choke._ "YO~U IDIOT BRO ~" _Choke. _"~THER!!!"

"DON'T DISRESPECT YOUR OLDER BROTHER! NOW TELL ME WHERE YOU WENT!"

"AH~" _Choke. _"BROTH~ER~RRR" _Choke._ "OKAY! OKA~!" _Choke._ "I'LL TELL!!!" _Choke._ "IWENTBACKTOTHEPLACEWHERETHETHULESOCIETYONCEOPENEDTHEGATE!" He said in such a rush that the words got strung together.

(I went back to the place where the Thule society once opened the gate)

At once Edward released his brother, Alphonse fell on his knees chocking hard. "Sheeeeshhh~! You didn't have to strangle me that much!" he complained, rubbing his throat then his soar left shoulder, feeling like it was disjointed.

"To that place?" Edward said in a small voice. "Why?" he asked.

Alphonse looked up, and stared into his brother's eyes.

"I, I wanted to find another way back…" Alphonse said, averting his gaze.

"Al…" Edward then sat down, so that his face was now leveled to his brother's.

"You really miss our world." He didn't ask it, it sounded much more like a statement of fact. "Why didn't you tell me?" Edward now asked, his expression filled with the usual, brother-I'm-sorry-this-is-my-fault crap that Alphonse hated.

_**BAM!**_

Edward fell sideways. His hands reacted just in time, stopping his fall before his face hits the ground. Shocked Ed turned to his brother shouting, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"YOU IDIOT–STUPID BROTHER! " Alphonse yelled at Edward. "I DIDN'T FOLLOW YOU HERE BECAUSE YOU LEFT ME NO CHOICE! I CAME TO THIS WORLD WITH MY OWN FREE WILL!! STOP ACTING LIKE EVERYTHINGS YOUR FAULT! YOU DIDN'T DRAG ME INTO THIS YOU STUPID BROTHER!"

"Al…?" Ed asked, his left hand subconsciously rubbing his soar cheek.

"I'm not searching for a way back because I miss home! I'm searching for a way back because I want to take YOU home! Brother I know you really want to go back! And I think there's another way home! Don't you want to see everyone? To see teacher? And Grandma? And what about Winry?!" Alphonse yelled. Annoyed that his brother is holding back on him again. He wanted to help Ed, he wanted his brother to be happy, and he hates it when Edward keeps things from him to spare his feelings.

After a while Edward smiled, "Yeah, you're right." He said, standing up while dusting his pants.

"Brother?" Al gaped at his brothers response.

"Let's go back together?" He smiled, now knowing that his brother is right, they have a home to come back to, there were people on the other side waiting for them to come home, and Al voicing this out gave him hope, it urged him to stand back up. They both have strong legs, they can move forward.

"We'll go back, and I'll be able to get my automail fix by Winry." Edward smiled at Al, a new goal forming in front of them, waiting to be reached…

"WAIT!" Edward suddenly said, interrupting the glorious moment. "You called me 'IDIOT' and 'STUPID' just now!" He said, suddenly remembering.

Al stared, and then laughed at his brother before saying. "Of course I did! You 'ARE' a stupid Brother!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Edward yelled, getting irked.

"'PIPSQUEAK' Brother!"

"WHOSE THE PIPSQUEAK?!" Edward fumed, getting fired up. "I'M TALLER THAN YOU~!"

"But this body isn't in my right age!"

"I'M STILL TALLER THAN YOU!"

"I'll get taller than you in a years time! 'Coz unlike you 'I' drink MILK!" Alphonse said, turning his back on his brother and went back to finish up their chore.

"LIKE DRINKING MILK WOULD MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE!" Edward yelled after his brother.

**End of Chapter 6 – The Brothers New Goal.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 6! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 7 – A Sudden Turn of Events.**


	7. Chapter 7 A Sudden Turn of Events

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 7 – A Sudden Turn of Events. (Revised)  
**

"Hey Rose-san, thanks for having me again." Winry told Rose as she boarded the train, "I'm sorry if I acted... A bit, pathetically." She beamed apologetically.

"Don't Winry-san! It wasn't a bother to me!" Rose smiled back at her. "Besides, I was getting a little lonely, no one ever comes to visit me."

"Thank you again!" Winry said while bowing her head for a formal 'Thank you' "Well, I'll be going now!" Winry grinned at Rose one more time about to head for the train's compartment and look for a place to sit, when Rose quickly said, "Ah! Wait Winry!"

"Yes, Rose-san?" Winry turned to face Rose again.

"Hey, when Edward-kun and Alphonse-kun gets back, you guys will visit me won't you?" Rose asked, smiling weakly, despite the advice she gave Winry to not get too caught up with it, she still couldn't stop herself from hoping as well.

Winry smiled widely in response and ran back to give Rose a big hug. "Of course we will!" Winry whispered the words, afraid to that if she voiced them loudly her voice would sound bleak and unsure.

The train whistled again, while the conductor announced the last call for passengers cueing Winry that it was time to go. She slowly pushed away from Rose and re-boarded the train.

"Bye Rose!" Winry called again as she sat down beside the open window while looking at Rose.

"Ah, Winry one more thing!" Rose called loudly as the trained whistled again and began to advance. "Why did you come to me about it, of all people?"

Winry beamed at her question. The train began to pick up the pace, Rose started to jog to keep up. "Because I knew that of all the people I know…" The train sped up more, Rose now running to keep up. "You were the one who would truly understand!!" She yelled the words as the train sped up even more and Rose started to fall behind.

Rose stopped in her tracks, surprised by Winry's response.

"I hope you'll find the 'ONE' that's really meant for you soon!" Winry waved at Rose, wishing with all her might that Rose would find her happiness soon as well.

"Don't worry I promise we'll come to visit when Ed and Al gets home!" She called after Rose.

Rose waved back at Winry, "Take care Winry! Promise you won't forget to visit!" She said as tears came trickling down her smiling face.

***

"Brother all the books here are worthless! There is nothing about 'our' Alchemy here!" Alphonse complained as closed the 30th book he was reading that spoke of parallel worlds.

"C'mon Al! Don't give up! We're bound to find something." Edward encouraged his brother, though he really was starting to lose his patience.

_Sigh. _"Brother we've been here all day, aren't you tired yet? I think it's almost closing time." Alphonse said as he glanced up to check the time on the big grandfather clock.

"Ah, no worries, I've already taken care of that, we can stay here all night, I talked to the receptionist, Heiderich introduced us before, and she was nice enough to trust us to lock up." Edward explained as he opened another book regarding parallel worlds.

"Then how about I get us some grub before we lock ourselves in Brother?" Alphonse said as he stood up smiling, reminded of how they use to stay up all night reading alchemy books back at Resembool. "Be right back." He said as he headed for the door.

"Okay, AL." Edward answered unable to tear his eyes away from the book he's reading, "Oh! And bring some pie for desert okay?" Edward called after his brother, eyes still focused on his work.

"Okay brother!" and with that Alphonse left.

After an hour later.

"AH! DAMN IT!" Edward exclaimed, fed up. "There's nothing about alchemy here!" He yelled again. "No incident that can be considered alchemy, no studies, no NOTHING!" Edward comed his hair with his automail hand, frustrated. "I just don't get it! Surely there should be at least ONE incident!" he then picked up another book, quickly scanning the pages, a few minutes though, he threw it away and picked up another.

"_Think Ed, think!"_ he ordered himself, concentrating on every bit of information he gathered from his accidental-use of alchemy.

"_You got pissed and used alchemy to fix the jar without even thinking twice, then it worked." _ He then laid down his book and intertwined his fingers together as he leaned his head on his cupped-together hands, forcing himself to concentrate harder. "Is there some detail I'm missing?"

Meanwhile.

"Thank you ma'am!" Alphonse thanked the good shop keeper of the bakery located a few blocks away from the public library.

"Come again!" The old lady waved, bidding Alphonse good day.

"Now, did I get everything? Let me see" Alphonse peeked at his groceries. "Got the milk, and water for brother…" _Sigh._ "Bread, apples, and the only thing left is the pie." Alphonse looked up, scanning the now darkened streets for a pastry shop.

"Where can I find pie here," he wondered out loud, still scanning the streets. _Sigh._ _"If I don't hurry up Brother will get impatient again."_ He thought, walking up the streets.

"Uhm, excuse me mis~WOAH!" Al stepped back as the lady he was just about to ask turned to face him. "1st Lt. HAWKEYE?!" he stared in disbelief.

"Huh?" Was the lady's only reply.

"Oh, I'm sorry miss!" Alphonse bowed his head in quick apology, remembering that people from Amestris has someone they look a lot like here on Earth. "I thought you were someone I know" He apologized again.

"Oh, it's okay." The woman assured him, smiling gently at Alphonse.

"Elizabeth?" A man came running down the street, "Elizabeth what are you still doing he~oh? Am I interrupting something?" The mans voice turned from gentle to ice-cold as he took in Alphonse's figure.

"Oh, not at all Roy." Elizabeth assured the man, while Alphonse looked up at him.

"Colonel MUSTANG?" Alphonse asked at the same time Roy said, "Mr. Heiderich?!"

"Huh?" they both said in unison.

"Oh, sorry my mistake!" Alphonse apologized again.

"Are you not Mr. Alfons Heiderich?" Roy asked Al as Elizabeth looked at Al as well.

"Oh no, Sir, I'm Alphonse Elric." He smiled.

"Oh, my apologies, you look exactly like him." Roy smiled warily, oblivious to the similarities of Alphonse Elric and Alfons Heiderich's features.

"No, problem Sir." Alphonse answered cheerfully while he thought, _"Wait till Brother hears about this."_ He nodded at the couples direction, then left.

"Now, where can I find a pastry shop?" He wondered again, getting back at the matter at hand. He then continued to walk down the street, and after a few minutes of wondering aimlessly across the street Alphonse stopped to ask a passing man, "Sir," he began, "is there any pastry shop near the area?" He asked politely.

"Oh, there's one shop near Apollo St. just a block away from the church." The man answered quickly.

"Thank you Sir!" Alphonse replied gratefully before dashing off. _"Apollo St., that's located just behind the Library, better take a short cut to make up for the time."_ Al thought, turning left at the next alley.

Alphonse walked silently down the dark alley, holding the bag of food safely against his chest.

Then… _**BAM!!**_

Alphonse steered, looking for the source of the sound, only to find that the way he came from was now blocked by two men, apparently, one of which had kicked a trash can towards the alley wall. Alarmed Alphonse turned to run up the alley, but found that the exit was also blocked by two other men.

"What's the hurry?" The tall man from behind asked, while pulling out a knife.

"What do you guys want?" Alphonse asked taking a defensive post, his back against the alley wall.

"We're just here to collect the passage fee punk." The shorter one snickered.

"Passage fee?" Alphonse repeated, pressing himself harder against the alley wall.

"Yeah, to pass this alley you 'gotta pay the toll fee kid!" The tall man answered while the other man snickered again.

"I'm warning you guys, I'll report you to the police if you don't leave!"

"Ahahahaha!" They all laughed, not threatened by Al's words.

"Those guys? Hah! They wouldn't even dare cross us!" one of the men that blocked his exit called, as the other men laughed again.

"I'm warning you guys, if you don't back down now I'm going to have to hurt you." He warned, as the four men started to advance towards him.

"_Crap! I got myself in such a mess again!"_ Al thought as he analyzed his situation, looking for a way to escape.

"Who do you think you are punk?!" The tall man asked, sounding annoyed that Al was belittling him.

"You guys will be sorry If you don't turn around now." Alphonse warned, getting himself ready for the attack as well as throwing his opponents concentration down by provoking them.

"Now SHUDDAP kid!" The tall man yelled, suddenly rushing for Al, "TAKE THIS!!" he extended his knife about to stab Al, Al dodged it by ducking down then with a swift movement, shot his left hand up, palm face forward and collided it with the man's chin, the collision sent the guy a few feet off of the ground as Al gave him a powerful kick across his chest, the knife fell from his hands as he hit the opposite wall, hard. The impact made him ricochet forward and landed, face first against the alley's cold stone floor. The three other men shouted. "Boss" at the same time, then two of them charged for Alphonse as well.

One of the men that was blocking Alphonse's exit earlier held up his bat and charged Al at the same time the short guy pulled up a knife and advanced at Al as well.

Furious the man swung his bat towards Alphonse while the short guy rushed to stab Alphonse's back. Only having a few seconds to react, Al dropped the groceries and launched himself upward, performing a back flip as the man's bat missed and the knife stabbing nothing.

Both men looked up and followed Alphonse's movement in sudden shock.

Al gracefully landed on the balls of his feet, his knees bending to absorb the impact and launched himself forward in a sudden rush to take the offense. The man who still stood at the exit in front shouted, "WATCH OUT!"

The short man was barely able to turn and defend himself when al gave him a quick and powerful kick from the side, launching him for the wall, his head hitting the wall so hard it knocked him out, while the tall guy forced his body to sit up but was unsuccessful, he cursed under his breath, trying to make the blood stop flowing from his bloody mouth.

In a split second Al did a 360° turn and launched his second attack at the guy with the bat before the guy even realized he was next. Al's fist collided with the man's face and sent him hurtling backward, just then Al spotted the tall man reach for the knife just behind him.

He ran back and kicked the knife out of the way and plunged himself towards the ground, launching his elbow against the tall mans back. "BOSS!" the guy at the exit cried out in horror as his boss's head threw back and coughed out blood before losing consciousness.

"_One more to go." _Al thought as he immediately leaned his body weight at his right arm, his elbow bending a little, preparing his body to spring and shoot towards his last opponent, but when he was about to launch himself forward he saw his opponent drew a gun. Too late to stop himself from springing towards the man, Al shot himself forward at the same time the man pulled the trigger of the gun.

Al slid left trying to avoid the bullet, his hands shooting up, instinctively covering every bit of his upper body he can in an attempt to protect himself from getting a fatal shot.

Al froze in alarm, his face and arms splattered with his own blood. Luckily the bullet only grazed him.

The man stared at him with horrified eyes, trembling from head to toe.

"_Oh, CRAP!"_ Alphonse thought, _"I'M GONNA GET SHOT!"_ he panicked, knowing that there's nowhere to hide in this alley way, and even if he ran back towards the way he came from he'll still get shot.

"GO DIE BASTARD!!" The man yelled as he pulled the trigger again and again, showering Alphonse with bullets. In the same heart beat Alphonse clapped his hands together and lunged himself towards the ground, instinctively using alchemy in a desperate attempt to save himself.

"_**SHHHHRRRRRRR!!!!!!!"**_

There was a flash of bright light, and the floor rose up, creating a wall between Al and the man. Al stared stupefied, his mind in shock.

The man on the other side of the side fell back as the wall rose, horror-struck, he staggered backward. "WHA~WHAT THE HELL??"

The wall stopped rising, Alphonse fell back as well, looking up at the wall, his mind still boggled by the sudden turn of events.

"MO~MONSTER!" The man shouted as he scrambled to get up on his feet and ran away in horror leaving his companions behind.

Alphonse stared at his creation, still not able to move he said, "Wha… What did I just do?' Alphonse asked himself as police sirens rang from a distance.

**End of Chapter 7 – A Sudden Turn of Events.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 7! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Please send me your reviews! It would be much appreciated!**

**THANKS FOR READING MY FIC!**

**FMA ROCKZ!**

**Watch out for Chapter 8 – The Key Ingredient.**


	8. Chapter 8 The Key Ingredient

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 8 – The Key Ingredient.**

"I wonder what's taking Al so long." Edward wondered, leaning his head on the table, his stomach grumbling. "Did he remember to get some pie?"

_**BANG!**_

The library's back door flew open, Edward reacting quickly was already on his feet in a defensive stance when Al came rushing in the room. His features all bloody.

"BROTHER!" Al yelled as he ran towards Edward, his right hand clutching his left forearm, covering the wound he got from the incident.

"AL!!" Edward rushed forward, horrified by his brothers state. "What happened Al?!" He asked as he rushed to meet his brother.

"I got into some trouble, BUT THAT'S NOT IT! Brother! I did it!"

"What kind of trouble?!" Edward asked before Alphonse even finished his sentence, Ed grabbed his brother's arm and pulled it up to his eye level and was about to examine Al's wound when Al pulled it back and said, "Brother I'm alright! It's just a scratch! LISTEN!"

But Edward was already occupied by worry as his thoughts race through the possibilities his brain cooked up to explain what might have happened to his little brother.

"BrotherLISTENfirst!Youwereright!Alchemy!Wecanuseitinthisworld!" Alphonse's words strung together as he hurried to get it all out.

(Brother LISTEN first! You were right! Alchemy! We can use it in this world!)

"What?"

"I used Alchemy just now! You're right Brother! There's a way around the rules!" Alphonse said victoriously as he remembered how he was able to transmute a wall to save his life.

***

_**Knock, Knock, Knock.**_

"Enter." came the Fuhrer's voice.

"Fuhrer, I brought Dr. Marcoh as you requested." Brigadier Gen. Hawkeye said, saluting.

"Ah, thank you Brig. Gen. Hawkeye. Let him in." Mustang said while sitting back to relax.

"Yes Sir!" Hawkeye saluted again and went back outside to call Dr. Marcoh, after a few seconds, Dr. Marcoh came in, Hawkeye on his heels.

"Good day Fuhrer." He greeted and saluted before adding, "You called for me sir?"

"Yes Dr. Marcoh, feel free to take a seat." Mustang encouraged as he leaned on his desk, his left cheek resting on his left hand, smiling at Dr. Marcoh.

Later.

"WHAT?! You… you want to reopen the gates?" Dr. Marcoh exclaimed, dumbfounded with the Fuhrer's request. "But sir the risks~"

"No, it's not like that Dr. Marcoh." Mustang assured him. "I'm not going to open the portal for personal gain." He said seriously.

"Then sir, WHY?" Dr. Marcoh demanded standing up.

"Calm down Doctor. I told you it's not for something like that, and it's definitely not something to fuel a war." He sighed. "Tell me Doctor,. Have you heard of the incident that dominated the news papers last month? About a man transmuting his dead Fiancé that committed suicide?"

"You mean Mr. Timothy Anderson's case? The Alchemist from the south of central?"

"Yes, Mr. Anderson, have you heard about the details of the incident?" Roy asked looking up to see Dr. Marcoh's confused face.

"Ah, no sir, I wasn't assigned on that case."

"Hmn…" Roy closed his eyes, concentrating as Dr. Marcoh sat back down. "Did something turn up in the investigation?" The doctor asked, causing Roy to look up at him.

"The investigation has already been closed, while my men was taking him into custody he attempted to escape using Alchemy and accidentally killed himself with it, but that wasn't what has been bothering me." He answered the Doctor while straightening up in his seat.

"Sir? I'm afraid I don't understand." Dr. Marcoh leaned forward now concentrating on their conversation while forcing his brain to make some connection between reopening the gate and Mr. Anderson's case. Riza gave a small cough from the back of the room, patiently waiting for this conversation to be over.

"On the night of the 16th last September the military received a call from an old lady saying her neighbor seems to be doing something weird in his apartment," He began his tale, "The windows of Mr. Anderson's place kept emitting bright lights, though the woman said this has happened a few times before, but that night what made her decide to contact the police was when she heard Mr. Anderson scream." Roy paused, giving Dr. Marcoh some time to catch up with his story.

"Within a few minutes the military arrived at his place, no one answered the door so Havoc ordered his men to break down the door…" This time Roy paused to prepare himself for what he's about to say next.

"There in Mr. Anderson's room lay a dead creature, features shockingly human, but had deep cuts across its bloody chest." Roy's fist began to clench as he averted his gaze, hatred dominating his expression, as unprofessional as this seem to be he didn't care, he was repulsed by the image that appeared in his head, Dr. Marcoh fell speechless, unable to react at this piece of information Roy was giving him.

Riza on the other hand let out a small sound of unease, and obviously, she has heard this story before and doesn't have any desire to hear it again.

"Havoc ordered Falman and two other of his men to search the apartment. They found Mr. Anderson in the bathroom, he looked out of it. His eyes were a bit unfocused as he was tending to his bloody lower body, and both of his legs were gone."

Something snapped together in Dr. Marcoh's mind. Human transmutation, missing body parts… "The thing that happened to the Elric Brothers happened to Mr. Anderson?" He whispered in shock, voice barely audible.

"When he saw Falman approach Mr. Anderson began screaming in panic, he was screaming things like 'Don't come near me! I don't want to enter again!' The toll fee!" he repeatedly screamed at Falman, nearly scared to death." He narrated, using Falman's description of Mr. Anderson's condition when he saw him, _'Nearly scared to death.'_

"He struggled a lot but Havoc's men were able to seize him and calm him down enough to ask him a few questions and get his injuries treated." Roy went on, the bitter taste the story gave him has not completely left his mouth.

"Mr. Anderson confessed and told them about his Fiancé who committed suicide, he was crushed by the incident and began his research about human transmutation to revive her. After a year of study he was about to give up for his studies wasn't improving at all and the information he held would not be enough to create a human or to revive one back from the dead. But then, the ban of the Philosophers stone was issued and it gave him hope, knowing that the military banned its usage meant that the stone existed." He finished his sentence with an icy tone, clearly holding himself guilty for not thinking things more thoroughly.

"He got hold of a stone?" The doctor asked in horror.

Roy looked up at Dr. Marcoh, "Yes, he was able to obtain a stone from the ruins of Xerxes where Al opened the gate for Edward. He caught wind of the incident that happened there regarding the gates and the invasion from the world on the other side, and found a piece of the stone somewhere in the ruins."

"Why were the stones there?" Dr. Marcoh asked in surprise.

"We are still not sure of the origins of the stones, but rest assure that there are no more stones left. I had my men search the perimeter twice. And as I was saying, he used the stone to fuel his transmutation and increase his chances of success."

"But he didn't succeed right? The transmutation failed! The creature he made was dead." Dr. Marcoh said, knowing that the chances of success were still very little even if a stone was involved.

"No" Roy closed his eyes, acting as if sparing his eyes from seeing a very nasty sight. "The human transmutation was a success."

"What?!" Dr. Marcoh demanded, caught off guard by the Fuhrer's response, "But how can that be? You just said your men found a 'Dead Creature' how could it have been a success??"

"The military received a call from an old lady-saying his neighbor's apartment kept emitting bright lights before she heard Mr. Anderson scream-was at 9:48pm, that's roughly the time when Mr. Anderson started the transmutation. Falman and his men arrived at 10:05pm, Mr. Anderson was found a minute later. And the corpse's estimated time of death was 4 minutes." He said gravely, staring at Dr. Marcoh again.

"Fo~FOUR?! Then that means…" he did a quick computation, "It lived by at least 8minutes before it died?!" Dr. Marcoh sat back, utterly bewildered by this bit of news.

But the worst was yet to come.

"Yes, the creature lived by more or less 8 minutes before it was stabbed to death."

"Stabbed?!" Dr. Marcoh couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yes, Mr. Anderson confessed to the crime" At this Riza looked out of the window, clearly not enjoying this exchange.

"Why did he stab that thing? Didn't he transmute her back so he would be with her?" Dr. Marcoh demanded, getting more and more bewildered.

"He stabbed the thing to death because 'it wasn't his Alice' that he created" Mustang continued, quoting how Falman had phrased it.

"Wha~WHAT?"

"I had my men investigate Dr. Anderson and Alice, and I also examined the corpse myself, I went through dental records, finger prints and everything, there wasn't a single match, though the body was complete, the organs in tack and everything was perfect."

At this Dr. Marcoh slumped lifeless in his seat. Unable to think properly, he felt his mind would explode if he hears more of this, but then he suddenly realized something. "Sir, you said they found him bloody and both of his legs were gone?"

"yes, both of his legs were gone." Roy answered simply. "When Falman asked him what happened to them all he said was 'It was taken for passage fee' and he would suddenly freak out again. In that same night I ordered my men to move him out of the scene and take him into custody where he was safer and where we would be able to question him more. But as my men was transferring him he freaked out again and tried to escape by using alchemy the way Fullmetal used to." Roy paused, giving Dr. Marcoh some time so absorb it in again.

"The way Edward Elric used to?"

"Just by clapping his hands together instead of using a transmutation circle." He said as he nodded.

"Was he also some kind of genius alchemist?" Dr. Marcoh asked, he can't imagine another alchemist being able to achieve such high skills.

"No, he wasn't talented in alchemy, his skills were less than Shou Tucker's, he could only do minor transmutations."

"Then how~" Dr. Marcoh's voice trailed away, words has failed him.

"We never had a chance to ask him. As I have said, he tried to escape using alchemy and got killed by the attempt. The wall he transmuted to fall over my men fell on him instead, killing him on the spot." Roy finished the story still looking like the bitter taste has not yet vanished.

"Sir, I still don't get why you are telling me all of this." Dr. Marcoh said, feeling like he's missing something.

"I mentioned this case because there's a few things that caught my attention in it. First, the perfect human transmutation, by using the stone Mr. Anderson was able to transmute a perfect human being."

"But it wasn't his Fiancé Alice?"

"But it wasn't his Fiancé Alice," Roy repeated, "This clearly proves that the dead cannot be brought back to life, though it is not the main concern right now." He pressed, "The thing I am worried about is the three other things that caught my attention."

"There's something else?" Dr. Marcoh pressed.

"The part where he lost his legs and told Falman and Havoc that it was taken as 'passage fee', and when he shouted 'I don't want to enter AGAIN' when Falman got close and the fact that he was able to transmute WITHOUT a circle." Roy explained, giving stress on words 'again' and 'without'.

"I'm afraid I don't follow you sir." Dr. Marcoh admitted.

"He lost his legs through what he claimed was 'toll fee', indicated that he must have gone somewhere, since he couldn't have left his place in his state we'll assume that, that place was also accessible through his place. The part when he shouted 'I don't want to enter again' supported the first part of my deduction, and of course when he said 'again' it meant that wherever it was, it was still accessible. And I think it still 'IS'."

At the door Riza stared at Roy, she hasn't heard this part of the story yet. She now felt unsure if she should be here, the Fuhrer obviously has stayed quiet about this for quite awhile and she assumes that Dr. Marcoh was the one Roy wanted to talk to about this issue.

"Doctor, the place Mr. Anderson went to, was the same place Fullmetal and his Brother Alphonse had gone into the night when they tried to bring back their mother. Edward lost his left leg, and Alphonse lost his whole body. Then Edward sacrificed his right arm to pull Alphonse's soul out of that place. Dr. Marcoh, don't you see? Those 'Toll fees' where paid to open the gates!" Mustang gave the doctor a loaded glance. Waiting for him to react, Riza gaped at Roy's deduction.

"The~the GATE?!" Dr. Marcoh repeated, sweating bullets. "Impossible! The gates has already been closed! You closed it yourself, right Fuhrer?!" Dr. Marcoh demanded.

"That's what I thought I did, but last month's incident confirmed that the gates have not yet been 'permanently' closed." At this Roy stood up and turned his back on the doctor to look out of the window.

"Then, if toll fees such as giving up body parts can be used, wouldn't that mean that the gates would be re-opened?" Horrified by the thought Dr. Marcoh exerted a huge effort to calm his mind down.

"That's where the stones kick in!" Mustang turned a determined smile flashing on his lips.

***

"So all you did was clap your hands together and tried to transmute?" Edward asked while gaping at his brother.

"yeah! I was already splattered with my own blood that I panicked!"

"YOU IDIOT!" _**WHACK!**_ Hit Alphonse's head.

"OW! Brother, what did you do that for?!" Alphonse complained.

"IF YOUR ALCHEMY DIDN'T WORK BACK THERE YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!"

"Calm down brother! You're starting to sound like Winry!" With this, Edward immediately turned scarlet before saying, "SHUT UP!" and whacked Al again.

"OW!!"

"But why did your alchemy work?" Edward wondered out loud, now helping Alphonse with his wound. "Was that all that happened? You just fought them and when you got shot, panicked and used alchemy?"

Alphonse blushed a little. Edward's assessment made it sound like he got so scared and panicked. "Well, it was the first time I ever got injured in a real fight! Getting splattered with my own blood wasn't something I ever worry about when my soul was still stuck on the armor." He said in defense.

"Wait? Blood?"

"Yeah, blood! My blood splattered me nearly everywhere! It was all over my face! My arms! My chest! My hands! ACK! It was really everywhere!" He shivered, clearly not used to getting covered with his own blood, let alone being injured.

"No! Wait! The Blood! When I transmuted the jar my hand was bleeding! I got cut before I broke the jar!" Edward stood up, his eyes focused on something Al couldn't see, his features getting all excited.

"What? You mean 'BLOOD' is the reason you were able to use alchemy back then?" Alphonse asked, standing up as well.

"Yeah! Blood! Remember blood is a medium for souls! The way I placed your soul in that armor! I used blood! And alchemy is basically powered by souls, remember those stones? They were made from humans! Their life energy was able to amplify alchemy!" Edward looked up at Al, his eyes glinting with hope.

"Are you sure brother?"

"OF COURSE I'M SURE?! Who do you think I am?!" Edward retorted, getting annoyed by his brother's doubt. "It's so obvious! Why hadn't I seen it before?!" he then laughed a throaty laugh.

"Al! Wait! Don't wash all your blood off!" He then grabbed Alphonse's injured arm and let the blood drip into his open hand. "I'm going to try to use alchemy again." Edward declared as he turned to face one of the library's stone pillars. He took in a deep breath as Alphonse watched him from where he stood.

Edward took one short glance at the pillar before he swiftly clapped his hands together and touched the pillar with it. Then….

"_**SHHHHHHRRRRRRRR……"**_

Suddenly the pillar was engulfed by smoke and bright lights. Then when the smoke and light subsided, there where the pillar use to be, a new statue of Edward stood.

**End of Chapter 8 – The Key Ingredient.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 8! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Watch out for Chapter 9 – Familial Gathering.**


	9. Chapter 9 Familial Gathering

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 9 – Familial Gathering.**

The old building that hosted the Thule society's research now lay abandoned and untouched since the members of the Thule ran off of the country after their unsuccessful attempt to conquer –what they thought was at least,– Shamballa.

"Wooow…" Alphonse exclaimed reluctantly as he entered the main hall from the east corridor. "This place sure is BIG!" he commented. "I'm done with the east hall, brother. I didn't find Heiderich's room there, how about you?" He asked Edward as he approached.

"Nah, couldn't fine anything in the north corridors." Edward answered as he slumped down towards the ground and rest, exhausted from all the searching he and Alphonse had been doing today.

"Are you sure it's here, brother?" Alphonse asked while sitting down as well.

"I'm sure it's here," Edward answered confidently, "when he died," Edward looked down, not wanting Al to see his expression. "I didn't have the courage to go back and take his stuff for safe keeping, and I think Noah wasn't able to recover his stuff as well." He explained.

"I wonder why no one ever came back to this place." Alphonse thought out loud, suddenly changing the topic while looking up at the ceiling and taking in the appearance of the place. It was dark and damp, the furniture were scattered and pilled out of place, the old carpets where covered in layers of dust and the ceilings leaked as the strong winds hammered against the windows of the place, it was raining hard outside. Occasionally lighting would strike and illuminate parts of the main hall where their lamp light could not reach.

Edward followed his brother's gaze and said, "I think it's because people think this place is haunted." He explained, smiling at how ridiculous the idea sounded to him.

Alphonse smiled as well. "Haunted, huh." He repeated, "What made them say that, brother?"

"I heard some rumors about people hearing weird voices and noises here, and some other stuff like that," he said, now laying down the lamp he held in one hand and laid down on the cold floor. "But seriously," he said, starting to get sarcastic now. "Where'd they get such stupid idea that this place IS haunted?" Edward asked, lifting his automail arm and stared at it. "Weird voices… what a bunch of nonsense,"

Just then, lightning strikes, the room Ed and Al were in was temporarily bathed with light, then, as the light vanished, a low moan started.

"ouuusss~eeerrrrr"

Edward's head snapped up at the same time Alphonse's did. Both of them stared at the direction of the door where the voice seemed to come from.

"Brother, was that your stomach??" Alphonse asked, though he knew that the sound didn't come from Edward's direction.

Edward then sat up, staring at the door as well, his face sweating a little. "No…" he answered, "Was it your stomach Al?" he asked, peeking at his brother's reaction from the corner of his eye.

Al stared at the door, and then made an audible gulping noise before answering. "Nope, that wasn't me brother."

"oooouuuuussss~eeeeerrrr" It moaned again.

"Brother, what was that." Alphonse asked, his voice sounding dead.

"I… I don't know Al…" Edward answered, sweating harder as the voice continued to moan. "ooouuussss~eeeerrr"

Alphonse started to sweat too. "Brother, co… could that be the voice the others have heard from this place?" Alphonse asked, now considering that possibility of ghosts.

"There's no such thing as _ghosts_!" Edward reminded him, standing up, grabbing the lamp and a metal pipe that was on the floor, silently, he headed for the door.

"Brother!" Alphonse whispered in shock as he realized what his brother was doing. "Where are you going?!" he asked in alarm as he hurried up to his feet, as silently as he could and followed his brother to the door.

"I'm ganna check that weird sound out." Edward answered determinedly, though his face was sweating bullets, he approached the door slyly. The pipe on one hand and the lamp on the other.

"ooouuussss~eeeerrrr" the weird moan came again, only this time it was louder and closer.

"Brother~" Al began but Ed cut him with a snappy, "SHHH!!!"

They stopped right before the door, the moaning sounded a lot clearer now, it was like the one creating it was just on the corridor.

"Al, get ready," Edward whispered, not glancing at Al and just stared straight towards the door as he handed Alphonse the lamp. "On three we're ganna burst out the door and find out what that sound is." Ed said, bracing himself for the feat. "One…" Edward and Al tensed, "Two…." Edward gripped at the pipe tightly. "THREE!!" both of them came bursting through the door, staring straight at the dark hallway.

"…." There was nothing there.

Edward stared for the length of one heart beat before, "Ahahahahaha, what were we thinking?" he asked, laughing as Al sighed, then, something grabbed at his ankle, he quickly looked down, his eyes, wide with horror, were met with a pair of yellow eyes that belonged to a crouched creature that was on the ground.

"eeeaadddd~" It moaned as its other hand reached up to Edward and Alphonse. Edward and Alphonse stared in shock, and as the creatures hand rose up closer to him, he panicked and, "LET GO OF ME BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed in fright, using his left leg to kick the creature solid in the face.

The creature yelped in pain and hit the wall, the impact was so strong the wall cracked from under him as Edward and Alphonse jumped back, sweating madly, their golden eyes huge with fright.

They held themselves in a defense poise, not taking their eyes away from the creature in front of them. The creature moaned again, making them recoil in surprise.

"ow…" It moaned out, Ed and Al froze. "Why did you hit me with your automail leg?" It asked, still moaning. Then another flash of lightning, illuminating the scene in front of them.

Edward and Alphonse stared in disbelief as they watched their father, Hohenheim scramble to get up right, one hand rubbing the back of his neck and the other supporting his upper body in a sitting position. "That really hurt Edward." He said.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!!!!!!!!!!" Edward replied, shocked, as Al yelled. "FATHER???????"

***

"Edward have you grown?" Hohenheim asked as Alphonse helped him on a sitting position.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN '_HAVE _YOU GROWN'?!" He asked fuming, as he turned to face Hohenheim and Alphonse, his automail fist clenched tight as he waived it in front oh his father's face. "SHOULDN'T YOU SAY '_YOU'VE_ GROWN'?!" He asked again, irritated.

"Father what are you doing here?" Alphonse asked as he sat down next to Hohenheim, ignoring Ed's rants.

"I heard someone wandering inside this place and I wanted to know who it was, I've been calling out 'Who's there' the whole time."

"YOU IDIOT! You should have said it _clearly_ rather than _moaned _it!" Edward yelled. "You scared the hell out of us!"

"Ha ha. That's true. I nearly peed on my pants." Alphonse said while laughing.

"Sorry," Hohenheim soaked. "I just didn't have enough energy." He said, Edward's expression softened as he took in his father's appearance. For the first time in his life, Edward was able to note a difference in his father's appearance. Instead of the man he remembered that did not seem to have aged a bit since his childhood, he saw a wrinkled old man, his arms weak and bony, the sink seemed to have been crinkled and dried up.

"How come you look so weak, father?" Alphonse asked, worried.

"Ah, I have weakened, philosophers stones do have limits. And after using mine too much, I became like this." He explained as he examined his own hands, "when I got back from the gate, it was worse, but eventually I was able to regenerate enough for me to move."

"Wait?! You got back from the gate?!" Edward exclaimed, startled. "How?!"

"Father was at the gate?" Alphonse now asked, confused, Edward hadn't mentioned that one.

Distracted, Edward answered him while still staring at Hohenheim. "He transmuted himself and Envy to open the gate, like how you said you transmuted Wrath and Gluttony."

_(Ichi's side note: Ack! I'm really not used to using the anime Wrath, coz whenever I think about Wrath, the one I see in my mind's eye is Bradley.)_

"What?" was Al's response. "But then, how come you're here?" He asked as he turned to look at Hohenheim.

Hohenheim gazed at Edward then to Al's face, "I… I went back through the gates." He answered, but sounding unsure. "When I transmuted myself, the gate opened and pulled me and Envy in, I was there inside…" He began, as if recounting the events for the first time. "Those things that were inside the gates where taking away my flesh, tearing me from limb to limb."

At this Edward's thoughts were drawn back to the memory of his journey inside the gates, the time when he first saw the true knowledge, and as his mind flashed images of his encounter with 'All' he shivered.

"I saw you Edward," He said, looking up to meet Edward's gaze. "I saw you pass through the gates riding some sort of air craft."

"The rocket Heiderich made for me." He informed.

"Then what happened, father?" Alphonse asked, as he stared at Hohenheim's face, watching his facial expressions.

"The gate was taking away every part of my body, and I wasn't resisting, I didn't want to, my only goal was to get Ed back to Amestris so he could find you." He said, looking at Alphonse.

There was a loaded silence.

"Then when the gates has took most of my flesh, I saw Edward riding the craft Dietlinde was in. Edward, why did you return to this side?" he then asked his oldest son, locking Edward's eyes to his.

Edward stared back, "I went back to close the gates from this side," he answered in a blasé way.

"And I followed brother here." Alphonse finished.

"Oh, I see." He said, gazing up at the ceiling, as if looking to check that the gates are closed.

"Father, why did _you_ return to _this_ side?" Alphonse asked, distracting Hohenheim from his thoughts.

"I came here because I saw Edward pass." He answered confused by Alphonse's question.

"Why?" Edward demanded.

Hohenheim smiled at Edward's reaction before answering, "When a parent loves a child, there is no price or reward, and so there is also no reason."

"Hmp." Edward huffed, unable to respond and crossed his arms while shoving his feeling of sympathy for his father to the farthest side of his mind.

***

**End of Chapter 9 – Familial Gathering.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 9! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Ichi Notes:**

**Sigh, this chapter is really tricky, I had a hard time on it!**

**Waaaaaaih! I wasn't able to write it right! Sob!**

**Sorry if I took too long to post this chapter, and I'm really sorry it's another cliffie, the most annoying one I might add.**

**I really don't think I made a good job on it, probably not even didn't even pass acceptable. Waaaaih! I'm sorry!! I promise I'll work harder on Chapter 10 –The King & the Father's Goal!**

**Ahhh… and I also want to thank Nahmae for her support!**

**And ChillyPuce for all the opinion and comment she'd provided for me! It was a big help!**

**Thank you both for all the help! ^_^**

**(hoee… Today School officially started, so I think I'd be a little busy, I'll try to update as soon as I can though!)**

**Thank you to all the readers! I LOVE FMA!**

**And I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**FMA and FF Rocks!!!**

**Watch out for Chapter 10 – The King & the Father's Goal.**


	10. Chapter 10 The King & the Father's Goal

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 10 – The King & the Father's Goal.**

A gentle breeze blew past Riza as she walked down the familiar street to her apartment. It was dark, and the lights were on on each lamp. She turned at the corner of her street and was headed for her apartment's gate when she heard foot steps following behind her.

Riza turned as she drew her gun and aimed it at her stalkers head. "Halt! Who goes there?!" She asked as she positioned herself, ready to shoot.

"WAOH!" the stalker's hands flew up in surrender. "It's me Riza!" He called out softly, but Riza didn't miss the faint 'terror' his soft voice had tried to coat.

Immediately she dropped her aim and relaxed. "Sir, please stop sneaking up at people like that. " She said as she placed the gun inside her grocery bag, heaved a sigh, then turned towards her apartment.

Theguy caught up with her and lowered the hood of his coat as he smirked. "Well, I thought surprising you sounds like a good idea." He answered, completely blasé about it.

Riza rolled her eyes. "Fuhrer, your idea nearly got you shot." She reminded him.

Roy tensed at this, gave a quick shudder, and then answered reluctantly, "Well, I didn't say it was the brightest idea."

Riza smiled as Roy admitted this before asking. "So, what brings you here, sir?" She stopped in front of her apartment's gates and faced Roy.

"Oh," Roy stopped in his tracks. "I thought maybe you'd want to go out for a walk tonight." He answered, trying to sound casual about it.

Riza considered that for a minute, then answered. "Let me just get this inside, sir." Indicating the groceries she was carrying. She opened the gates and turned towards the house.

Later at Central Park.

"Sir, are you sure everything is fine regarding your plans on reopening the gates?" She asked as she patted Hayate's head for doing a great job of fetching the stick.

"Hmn??" Roy looked at her from the corner of his eye then gazed back at the lake in front of them.

The park was empty except for a few couples that wondered here enjoying the moonlit sight.

"Yes, everything has been taken care of. The research has shown great progress." He answered lazily as if he was just commenting that the weather was nice.

"Sir, I know you think this would go smoothly, but sir, there's so much risk!" Riza reminded him as she threw the stick again for Hayate before commanding the dog, "fetch."

"Please stop worrying." Roy stretched out his arms and placed his right arm behind Riza's seat comfortably. "Don't worry, everything will work out, I've researched thoroughly enough that I can assure you the plan is flawless."

"Sir, I know your planning skills are exceptional, what I'm worried about is your luck." She explained, eyeing Roy's eye patch.

Roy tilted his head away so that Riza won't be able to see his eye patch anymore.

"Okay, okay, I got careless." He admitted as he remembered how irresponsible he had been back there, walking out of the previous Fuhrer's mansion with Selim on his shoulder, without even bringing any weapon with him to defend himself and Selim incase someone attacked, in that case, someone did, good thing Archer wasn't as sharp as a shooter Riza is.

"Sir, I know that you're doing what's right, and just doing your job. But sir, I still feel strongly against it. I don't have anything against the Elric brothers, it would be nice to get Edward-kun and Alphonse-kun back, but reopening the gates to get them doesn't sound reasonable when they chose to-"

"I won't leave a man behind." Roy answered abruptly, cutting off Riza mid-sentence.

Riza smiled at his answer ruefully, of course she can't argue with that.

She stared at Roy for a short pause before continuing her sentence with a different approach. "And about how people could open the gates at will," She paused to make Hayate fetch the stick again.

"It's not really that much of an issue that you have to look into it yourself Fuhrer, we can handle the problem without you, it's just a minor problem, like controlling theft on the streets. It's not really that much of a risk that you would have to gamble your life with the odds." She sighed. Roy stayed quiet, he continued to stare at the lake, watching how the moon's reflection danced with the ripples the leaves had made.

Riza, sensing that Roy won't definitely admit that her reasoning was debatable, sighed then added. "Sir, there are a lot of people counting on you now." Hayate handed her the stick again before prompting her with a "Wooof!" so that she'll throw the stick again.

"A lot of people placed their trust in you." She paused as Hayate ran after the stick and jogged back smugly towards her after catching the stick in mid-air with his mouth. "And dying before you fulfill your promise of peace sounds like a poor way of repaying their trust." Riza looked up, expecting Roy to pretend to be absorbed by the view of the lake, and got startled when she met his gaze.

"I won't let them down." He said simply, though his tone made his words sound like a statement of fact rather than a reassurance people would normally reply when faced with the same situation.

Hayate tugged Riza's coat impatiently, whining as he lowered his head to the ground and wagged his tail in the air, begging her to play with him more. Riza broke Roy's hold of her gaze and threw the stick for Hayate again as she settled back on her seat.

Roy relaxed beside her as well, staring back at the lake again. Watching the leaves create ripples on the lakes smooth surface.

It was silent for a while except for the soft thudding of Hayate's paws as he ran back to Riza's side.

"Sir, are you sure everything's going to be fine?" She asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft as she gazed at the lake while Roy looked down at her. She knew she was getting annoying, she's probably asked this question for the hundredth time, but she knew she must make sure of his safety.

"Yes, everything will be fine." He answered, returning the soft voice with a pleased smile.

Hayate nudged the stick closer to his mistress' feet and barked cheerfully beside her, proud of how well he was able to retrieve the stick. Riza patted his head lovingly before facing Roy again, "Just don't die, sir." She asked of the Fuhrer, smiling warily.

Roy met her gaze, her eyes had that strange burning he felt his eyes had as well. The wind blew past them blowing Riza's hair with it. Her hair brushing gently against Roy's cheek. Roy inhaled, taking in the sweetness of her scent. His smile broadening as he leaned closer to her, their face only an inch apart. He gazed into her eyes one more time before closing his eye and closed in the gap between their lips.

Roy felt his lips press against something soft and moist. The park was silent for a few seconds when…. "That's all I needed to know, sir." Riza suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Roy's eyelids fluttered open, his gaze was met with a pair of beady black eyes.

Hayate licked his face from chin to nose. Wagging his tail in the process. Roy shivered with the dog's action and pulled away, yelping in shock.

Apparently, Riza has picked up Hayate by the collar and held him in her place for Roy to kiss.

"Now go back to your house before your body guards put up 'missing' posters all across Central." She ordered coldly as she stood up and gave Roy a stern look before walking away with Hayate.

Roy's thoughts at that time, "The soft and moist lips I felt back there….. WERE A DOG'S?!" He exploded in horror.

***

"Fascinating." Someone exclaimed from behind piles of papers stacked at a desk at the far end of the room. "Simply fascinating."

A vein twitched on Ed's forehead. "Stop getting amused by everything like a kid." Edward yelled towards the direction of his father's voice. "Don't play dumb, I know you're familiar with these!" Edward added rudely as he turned his back on Hohenheim and went back to assembling the rocket's wing.

Hohenheim looked up from his work and frowned a little at the back of his eldest son. "It's just that Mr. Heiderich's work are most exceptional. He really looked into it at all side, the design is perfect, the engineering innovations are outstanding, and it is really hard not to be amazed." He explained, defending himself.

"Whatever," Edward scoffed, ignoring his father and concentrating in the rockets wing.

"Don't mind him." Alphonse advised as he put down a box of tools he had gathered from the other room. "He just doesn't know how to react nicely, bet his just shy father." He said, turning to smile at his father.

"I heard that!" Edward fumed turning to glare at Al then to his father before turning his back on them. "Quit blabbing back there and get back to work." He ordered as he welded a metal rod to the winds exterior.

"Edward seems to have gotten angrier with me…" Hohenheim noted as Edward stood up irritably an hour later, storming out of the room while muttering something about, "Stupid bastard…"

Alphonse laughed nervously as he too watched Ed leave. "He's just gotten a bot more touchy because of what you have decided." He explained, smiling ruefully at his father with pleading eyes. "Although brother doesn't admit it, he really is worried about you father, he doesn't want you to do something like that for us." He added beseechingly as he gazed into his father's eyes.

xxxxx

Three days ago Edward, Alphonse and Hohenheim began prowling over Heiderich's notes that was still in the building. They immediately began planning and designing how their rocket would be. Ed was in the middle of discussing his idea of enlarging the cockpit when Hohenheim suddenly interrupted him with, "How do you plan to open the gates?"

Edward and Alphonse exchanged a quick glance before hanging their head in embarrassment. "We haven't exactly found a way to open it." Edward had answered, "We'll find a way. Since we found out that we can open the smaller gates within us with the use of blood we figured we could figure out a way to open the gates sooner or later."

Hohenheim weighed Edward's answer for a short pause before answering, "Edward, using alchemy and reopening the gates is not the same thing," he stared seriously at Edward, who just stared blankly at him. "Finding a way to use alchemy in this world truly is amazing, but I doubt opening the gates would be less pleasant than it already is in our world. I am sure you are well aware that equivalent exchange applies to the gates too?"

Edward frowned at this while Alphonse hung his head. They were like children being scolded by their father for not studying hard enough.

"We will find a way. And we won't need a sacrifice!" Edward spat at his father annoyed while Alphonse gave a sharp nod.

Hohenheim studied his sons for a while before adding, "Edward, Alphonse, you can't always bend the rules to your liking, the gates will not open just like that." Hohenheim straightened up in his chair. "Edward, I know this sounds horrible, but a sacrifice is unavoidable." He finished gravely.

Edward threw him a dirty look. "We will find a way without using a sacrifice. Even if it takes a long time, we won't stop until we find an answer!" He answered fiercely, glaring at his father.

"Brother is right. We will not trade any part of us as passage fee ever again!"

Hohenheim let out a low chuckle making Edward's glare intensify. "You boys are still too young if you think you can work things out pleasantly without people getting hurt." Hohenheim stood up, while dusting his pants he added, "If only the world was like that," he sighed, shaking his head at the silly thought.

Edward felt a sense of déjà vu, one of General Olivia Armstrong's men had mentioned something like this before, and like then, he stood by his beliefs. "Are you saying we'll have to accept that CRAP of an idea to open the gates?!" He fumed, sure, Edward knew that it made sense, but something horrible like that is unacceptable no matter how logical it was.

"We will never do something like that ever again! We will never sacrifice human to open the gates! There has to be some other way!" Alphonse added fiercely, they will be able to come back, but there would be no sacrifice this time.

"Not a sacrifice, more like… a favor." Hohenheim answered, smiling at his son's bewildered faces. His eyes, hidden behind his glasses as light bounced off of it.

"What do you mean?" Ed demanded, suspiciously studying his father's expression.

"Edward, Alphonse…." He said, placing a hand on each of his sons shoulder. "I won't be coming back with you." Hohenheim's grip on Ed and Al's shoulder tightened as Ed and Al looked up at him.

"WHAT?" Edward blurted out in shock. Alphonse's eyes grew wide as he replied, "What do you mean father?!"

"I won't be coming back with you. I've made Trisha wait long enough." Tears suddenly flowing down his cheek as his gaze locked with Edward's eyes.

xxxxx

"Alphonse, you know it's the only way." Hohenheim reminded his son as he patted Al's shoulder, "I won't last long with this decaying body. Since I'm dying, why don't we make use of it?"

Alphonse shot his father a pained look but was unable to respond. Hohenheim saw the guilt in his eyes, "Don't think of it as a sacrifice for you two, it's more of a selfish whim really, I want to see Trisha, It's been so long…!" Hohenheim smiled sadly, his voice thick with longing.

"Father, even if you do make it sound reasonable, it still doesn't make the idea acceptable. It would feel like we gave up on you! Mom would be sad."

"Alphonse," Hohenheim pleaded, "I _want _to do this." His eyes burning with determination.

Alphonse closed his eyes in response, inhaling deeply and seems to be concentrating on calming himself. "Father, by doing this, brother won't forgive you more…"

"I know that…" He answered, absent – mindedly rubbing his left cheek as he remembered how painful it was when Ed's automail fist made contact with it before.

"But Alphonse, that will not stop me from doing everything I can for my sons this one last time." Hohenheim straightened up boldly and as he glanced towards the door.

In the other room Ed threw a book against the wall opposite him as he irritably crashed on the nearest seat. Covering his eyes with one arm he muttered, "Damn bastard's making me…" he groaned, choosing not to voice out the rest of his thoughts.

"_Edward, I _will _die, soon. I don't want to die in vain if I could die with a cause."_Hohenheim had told him before Ed had hit him.

"Damn bastard." He grunted, now pressing the tip of his fore finger and middle finger across each of his temples, like trying to ease a headache.

"Edward…" A familiar voice called from the door, Edward's hands automatically clenched into fists as his mind registered whose voice it was.

"What do you want?" He asked irritably, shifting his weight to his left to avoid looking at his father.

"Edward, are you still upset with me?" Hohenheim asked, his voice calm as he approached Ed's seat.

Edward's irritation intensified. "Geez, captain obvious, what made you say that?" he retorted, his voice thick with a thousand layers of sarcasm.

Hohenheim flinched at the way Ed had answered him, he frowned and gravely said, "Edward, I'm doing this for you and Alphonse."

Edward's blood boiled as the implication made sense to him. Abruptly, he was on his feet, "WE NEVER ASKED YOU TO DO ANYTHING FOR US!" He spat loathingly.

Hohenheim stood his ground, "Edward, I am still your father, I want to take res~"

"WHAT?! RESPONSIBILITY?!" He yelled cutting Hohenheim off. "When the HELL did _YOU_ start caring for that?!"

"Brother, stop it!" Alphonse called, running in towards the room. He stopped a few inches away from Edward. "Calm down, brother!"

"I won't calm down, Al! THIS~ THING! Is the reason why mom died!" He yelled. Pointing an angry finger at Hohenheim's face.

"Brother, stop it! Father didn't' do anything to mom! He didn't want her to die!" Alphonse argued, trying to make Edward see reason.

"NO! It's because _he_ left _her!_" He shot Hohenheim a dagger of a glare. "And now he's making us feel sorry enough for him so we'd forgive him!"

"Brother, you know that's not why he's doing this!" Alphonse said, trying to calm his brother down he reached out for Ed's arm, but Ed jerked his arm out of his reach.

"Alphonse, it's okay," Hohenheim assured him in a small voice, seeing that Al's attempts to calm Edward was futile. "Edward is right, I have no right to ask for forgiveness." He then looked down, his eyes once again, hard to see through his glasses as light bounced off from it.

Ed glared at him suspiciously, "I have never been a good father…." Hohenheim said softly, Ed's eyes narrowed.

"Doing something like this won't make you a father to us." Edward said coldly as his anger held steady.

"I know Edward…." Hohenheim didn't look up as he added. "What I have done cannot be forgiven, and the time I have lost can never be given back. Trisha, I miss her so much…." He said softly.

Edward froze as two big drops of tears caressed down his cheeks.

"Edward, Alphonse, please let me do something to help you before I meet Trisha." He pleaded, looking up.

Edward stiffened as he met his father's gaze, his eyes were pleading in every angle, those molten gold eyes burned with his plea, a plea that could only be answered by him. "I don't want to face her empty handed." The burning in his father's molten golden eyes intensified, a new emotion swam with the golden liquid turning the molten gold a shade darker and burning even more than before.

"Father!" Alphonse ran towards Hohenheim, embracing him for what could be the last time, while Edward stood rooted to the stop. Hohenheim's plea and pain had him torn.

"Alphonse, I'm sorry I haven't been a good father." Hohenheim apologized, hugging his son back before turning to look back at Edward. "I'm really sorry. I only left because I wanted to be human, so that I could grow old with you and die with Trisha."

Edward turned his back on them. "Old man?" He called back, his voice unreadable. Hohenheim stared at him in shock after hearing the term, "Just don't you _dare_ use us as an alibi for mom. We have nothing to do with your insanity. Got that?!"

"Brother?" Alphonse stared back as Edward slowly headed for the door while waving his hand back at them.

"I don't want mom thinking we're friends with _him._"

"Of course Edward." Hohenheim managed, as he smiled after Edward's retreating back. "It's been a while since you last called me father." He murmured after a while, more to himself than to Al.

**End of Chapter 10 – The King & the Father's Goal.**

**Ichi wrote: Yay! I'm done with chapi 10! Nyu! =3 thanks you for reading my fic! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think of it! Please send me your reviews~! Domo arigatou minna-san! Nyu! =3**

**Phewwww! This one's a really…. Really long chapter! I'm so sorry it took so long!**

**I just had a bit of a hard time deciding what the events would be! (and since schools back on my side of the globe I've been pretty busy lately.)**

**I hope you guys enjoys this one! (It's my first time writing RoyAi moments so be nice!)**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO:**

**Nahmae! **

**(I didn't mention this coz I wanted to surprise you! But the RoyAi part was added for you! +I know you can't get enough of them!+)**

**Thank you so much for all your support and care! That fic you dedicated for me was awesome!**

**Guys please visit her fic "A Grave Mistake"**

**it's an EdxWinry oneshot you shouldn't miss!!**

**Thank you all for staying with me all the way through chapter 10! (I'll try and update sooner so you guys won't have to wait much!)**

**Please leave a Review!**

**Thanks so much!**

**Watch out for Chapter 11– Just a Little bit More.**


	11. Chapter 11 Just a Little bit More

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 11 – Just a Little bit More.**

Winry heard the front door creak open, making her pause from what she was doing to look up in time to see Riza and Hayate come in.

"Oh, welcome back Ms. Riza." She greeted, removing her working goggles.

Riza smiled warmly at her, "Sorry it took so long to walk Hayate." She answred, releasing Hayate form his leash. Hayate ran towards Winry, wagging his tail in the air as a greeting. "Hi Hayate, did you have a nice walk?" Winry asked, rubbing Hayate behind the ears. Hayate let out a, "Woof!" in response as Winry continued to ruffle his fur.

As Riza changed into slippers she noticed that the groceries she had left by the shoe rack was gone, she looked up to see that the room was tidier than when she left, she turned to were Winry sat before saying. "Winry-chan, I told you, you are a guest here, you don't have to clean."

Winry just shrugged as she crouched back down to her work, "I didn't have anything else to do anyway." Riza smiled a bit as her eyes trailed to the coffee table where Winry hovered, concentrating on her work. _"Retuning his automail again." _she guessed as she placed her coat on the rack. "Please try not to force yourself. It's really okay, you don't have to tidy up my place."

"No, no, it was nothing, really. It was th e least I could do for you after you let me stay." Winry smiled as she looked up at Riza before replacing her work goggles on. Riza smiled back at her as she followed Hayate to the kitchen to unpack the grocery bags from earlier while Winry went back to tweaking the automail arm again.

Xxxxxx

A week ago Winry came home from her visit to Rose all fired up with a plan to head for Rush Valley, but decided to stop by at her house to get some clothes and stuff for the trip as well as to inform her grandma about her plans to head for the Holy land of Automails. She wanted to learn more about how she can improve her work and craftsmanship, after all a very important customer was about to return.

"Grandma? I'm home!" She called as she went through the front door. Den came rushing to her side the minute she stepped in. "Hi Den!" She greeted, ruffling Den's fur as she laid down her bag.

"Winry? You're back early! Good thing too! Come in the kitchen, there's someone here too see you!" Pinako called from inside the house.

"_Who could it be?"_ she thought before heading for the kitchen, Den heading ahead of her. As she passed the door frame a familiar face welcomed her with a soft smile, "It's been a long time since we last saw each other. Neh, Winry-chan?"

Winry blinked in surprise. "Ms. Riza?" she asked rushing towards the table where Riza Hawkeye sat, Den on the other hand headed for Pinako and lied down lazily by her feet.

"What brings you here?" She asked as Pinako handed her a cup of tea, urging her to sit down. Absentmindedly she sat down and took the cup while still staring at Riza from across the table. "I came to pick you up on the Fuhrer's orders." She answered kindly as she placed her empty cup down.

"Huh?" Winry replied as Pinako filled up Riza's cup with tea again, earning her a polite, "thank you." From the Brigadier General.

When Riza looked back at Winry her smile was still gentle as she answered, "Everything is going well with the Fuhrer's plans and he sent me to personally pick you up. He assumes you would want to be there when Edward-kun and Alphonse-kun returns."

"Ms. Hawkeye here arrived yesterday; she stayed here last night, waiting for you to come home." Pinako explained setting down the tea pot.

"Wait? So those that mean the Fuhrer would get them back soon?" Winry asked as she glanced from Pinako to Riza.

"Yes. In a matter of weeks the Fuhrer will reopen the gates. He sent me to get you so~" Riza stopped short as Winry suddenly stood up, startling her. "Winry-chan?" she asked, worry creased her face. Pinako and Den also looked up to stare at Winry while she shuffled from her seat and headed towards the hall. "Winry-chan, where are you going?" Riza was on her feet as well as she called after Winry, her voice filled with confusion and worry.

Winry stopped in her tracks as she reached the door and turned to look at Riza, "I'll just pack my bags and finish Ed's automail before we leave." She beamed at Riza, Pinako grinning with her as well. "I'm sure he managed to break his arm or leg by now."

Xxxxxx

Winry sat back down on the couch, exhausted from all the work she had done on her new automail model for Ed. She heaved a well deserved sigh of accomplishment before glancing at the clock on Riza's living room wall.

2:44 am. It read.

She frowned at the time and tried to recap what she had done the whole night that caused the time to fly. _"All I did was retune his automail"_ Winry thought, still trying to force the hours and work to paint a picture.

Still unsuccessful to figure out where all her time went to she sighed again and crouched back down towards the coffee table where her work was scattered. "Ms. Riza must have gone to bed a few hours ago," Winry suddenly realized, noticing how quite it was while she chunked her tools inside her tool box. Not bothering to put each one of them to their rightful places. "I wonder if I was too absorbed with my work that I didn't notice her go to bed." She mused as she closed the lid of the box.

Winry glanced back at the table, admiring the automail she has just retuned, "Just a little bit more…"

_Mou sukoshi….._

***

"Damnit! What do they want know?!" Edward hissed through gritted teeth as the pillar they hid behind got showered with bullets.

"Brother, who are they?!" Alphonse asked, his was voice strained. His hands half covering his ears as the roar of bullets felt like drums being played against his skull.

"They're members of the Thule Society." Edward's words were caked with a healthy coating of distaste. "I remember that guy." He jerked his head towards the direction of the only door as Alphonse's gaze followed the gesture, his eyes zeroed at the man nearest the exit that had his black hair slickly combed back against his skull. "That bastard is Rudolf Hess, one of Eckhart's men." He paused, seeming to suddenly remember something, "You know I still owe him a punch across the face." Edward's eyes narrowed maliciously at the thought of being able to pay Hess back the punch he owed him.

A few minutes ago Edward and Alphonse woke with a start as Hohenheim nearly pulled them to their feet saying something about they were under attack. They barely got oriented when Hess's men barged in and started showering them with bullets.

"How come they're shooting at us?!" Alphonse's voice sounded strained as he edged closer to Ed, trying not to get shot.

"Hess! Don't kill them! Seize fire! Seize fire!" A gruff voice rang accompanied by 6 pairs of thundering footsteps running towards the scene, Edward exchanged a quick glance with his father who had hid himself behind the stone pillar to Ed's immediate right, his back was pressed against the pillar like Ed. The pelting bullets immediately stopped from showering at them.

"Haushofer! Did you not see him?! He came back from the dead!" Edward peeked at them in time to see Hess's frenzied look as he turned to Haushofer, who was relatively calmer than Hess but also had the terror Hess had in his eyes.

"It must be because of his Alchemy!" Haushofer responded, ordering his men with just a twitch of his hand. Nearly a dozen men filled into a semi-circle, their aims pointed against the pillar where Ed and Al hid, and some pointed at Hohenheim's post.

"Who's that, brother?" Alphonse whispered, his voice sounded strained as worry creased his face. "I think it's Karl Haushofer." Answered Ed, not entirely sure that he got the name right.

"Van Hohenheim, Edward Elric, I know you that you are hiding behind does pillars." Came Haushofer's strangely calm voice, Edward wondered where the terror in his eyes a moment ago had gone too. Neither Ed nor Hohenheim stepped out from their hiding place, Haushofer continued. "It's been a while Hohenheim," He came again, still in that calm voice. "The last time I saw you, I thought you were already dead."

Hohenheim stepped out from behind his pillar before answering, "Yes, it has been quite awhile. I thought I would die at that time as well." His voice was calm and unreadable matching his poker face. Ed sneaked a quick look at Hess and Haushofer.

"I'm glad you still remember us." Haushofer stared back at Hohenheim, his expression didn't show the enthusiasm his words were implying.

"Yes, I remember you well, and of course how can I forget Hess? He's the craziest of the lot." Hess glared at him and yelled

"You demon! How did you manage to survive?!" Hess snapped his head towards where Haushofer stood, "That dragon bit him in half! How could he be alive?!" Hohenheim took advantage of Hess's distraction to move closer towards the pillar where Ed and Alphonse sheltered.

Haushofer ignored Hess's outburst, "Edward Elric. Show yourself or else we will shoot your father's head off." His voice shrill and demanding as his men removed the safety of their guns, now aiming at Hohenheim.

Edward grunted from behind the pillar about to step out when Alphonse grabbed at his arm and hissed, "Brother wait! He might shoot you!"

"Don't worry Al, I won't let that happen." He assured him as he pushed Al back towards the shadow of the pillar, "Stay here." He added firmly before joining his father at gun point. "You got me out, S'now what?" he asked throwing a hostile glare at Haushofer. Ignoring Hess as well, as he continued to yell at his men, "Don't let your guard down!"

"Easy with the eyes Elric, you wouldn't want me to make my men shoot you, do you?" Haushofer's voice was still sharp as his piercing gaze settled on Edward.

"So what do you want from us Haushofer?" Hohenheim asked, not bothering to even spare Hess a glance as he shouted things between the lines, "They're demons!" or "Don't let them out of your sight!" while he and Edward stood at gun point.

"I'm really surprised to see you alive," Haushofer just answered, "You know, when Hess and I decided to track down your son I didn't expect to run into you like this."

"What do you want from me?!" Edward demanded his fist clenched tight as he continued to glare at Hess. _"When will that idiot shut up?!"_ he thought furiously, now watching Hess as he retreated back towards the door when Hohenheim finally gave him a glare.

"The Thule Society lost their influence and power because of your interference with our mission to conquer Shamballa a few years back." His voice was cold with distaste. "If it wasn't for your meddling interference we would have been able to conquer Shamballa and the Thule would not have been hiding in the shadows as we speak."

"Shamballa doesn't exist! It wasn't Shamballa on the other side of the gate! It was _MY_ world!" Edward yelled back, his voice shaking with fury.

"LIES!" Hess bellowed, Edward forced himself to not launch himself at Hess while the paranoid man pointed an angry finger at them saying, "You demons just want Shamballa all to yourselves!"

"Shamballa or not the Thule is still interested to conquer it." Haushofer explained, the way his voice wrapped around the words reminded Edward of Greed. "Hess, calm down," Haushofer said, finally turning to pay him mind. "Everything is under control."

"And what do you need Edward for?" Hohenheim asked as he placed a restraining hand on top of Edward's shoulder seeing that Ed had a 'I-wanna-knock-his-lights-out' look on his face.

"I knew he had the ability to open the gates to the parallel world," He turned to face them again, "and if we capture him we'll be able to conquer the world on the other side." Haushofer smirked as Edward's face contorted with rage.

"So I presume you are the new head of the Thule?" Hohenheim's voice was dead serious as his eyes zeroed on Haushofer's grinning face.

"Yes and no, you see, Hess and I leads the Thule together now."

"You know we owe it to your son, If Dietlinde had not died we would be still working _under_ her." Hess jeered.

"BASTARD!" Edward spat at him, his explosion of fury merely got him a smirk in response.

"Hold your tongue boy, you are useful to us, but if you don't behave I'll have my men kill you without hesitation."

"How did you find us?!"

"Hess was tracking down your son for a year now, he was tricky to find but good thing we thought of looking for him here. I had my men search for you in towns and villages where rumors of you float around. I'm really quite surprised to find you here, good thing someone saw you return to this town a week ago, it was only a matter of searching each house to know where you were." Haushofer answered for Hess as he took in the appearance of the abandoned building before asking, "Why are you here anyway?" his voice was trying to hide the curiosity he felt.

"That's none of your business you asshole!" Edward snapped making Hess scowled while Haushofer didn't even flinch.

"If you do not want me to kill you _punk,_ you will have to start answering politely." He warned while his eyes nearly narrowed into slits.

"Edward," Hohenheim cautioned, Edward didn't turn so that their pursuers wouldn't notice that Hohenheim was whispering to him, "It seems that the Thule seek to conquer our world still, and since Haushofer and Hess personally came to fetch you it means that they will not take _no_ for an answer."

Edward's eyes narrowed, "what do you suggest we should do old man." Edward hissed through the corner of his mouth as Haushofer went on with his monologue.

"I require your ability with certain matters, and I think I have made myself clear that you will work for me even if it is against your will." Haushofer went on nodding his head toward his armed men, not noticing the conversation Ed and Hohenheim were having through Whispers.

"When I say _'now' _take cover on Alphonse's pillar and wait for me to clear the path before you and Alphonse head straight for the door, go board the rocket while I open the gate." Hohenheim laid out the plan in a rush.

"What are you planning?!" Edward hissed back, not tearing his gaze away from Haushofer as he continued to blab on and on about their plans to conquer Shamballa.

"Edward this is not the time to argue!" Hohenheim hissed again fearing that Haushofer would get to the point soon. "If you want to go back to our world now is the time, and it might be your only chance." Edward took that in, his mind racing through memories he longed for to relive. _"Just a little bit more!"_ he thought as Hohenheim looked up when Haushofer started addressing him, his speech almost done, "And it's truly lucky to find you still among us, you will be a very useful pawn."

"I appreciate the offer to be your toy Haushofer, but as you can see I'm quite busy catching up with my son." He answered, leaving out the existence of Alphonse as he still hid behind the pillar.

"You don't understand Hohenheim," He called back as he made an about face and started retreating towards the open door, about to leave Hess in charge again.

"Edward, head for the rocket and prepare it for launch, I'll go ahead of you and activate the circle." Hohenheim whispered to his eldest son as Hess's men waited for their bosses order. "Don't turn back, keep on going." He ordered firmly.

"What about these thugs?! We can't just leave without taking care of the~"

"Edward, without me and without you they will never be able to open the gates, when you and Alphonse get back to Amestris close the gates _there_, I'll try and do as much damage as I can to destroy this building~"

"But~!"

"No buts Edward." He cut him off firmly, "It's now or never." Hohenheim looked down at his son, his face fierce with determination while Edward's was torn.

"So Edward, Hohenheim." Haushofer called as he stood directly under the door frame. "Are you willing to help us?"

Edward snapped his head towards where Haushofer stood, his face filled with loathing and disgust, "LIKE HELL WE WOULD!!"

"Very well," Haushofer scowled, "_such a shame". _He thought, "Open fire."

**End of Chapter 11– Just a Little bit More.**

**Ichi Notes: Waiiih! Sorry this chapter took so long!**

**I had to revise the story on this chapter, **_**trice!**_** , and I just can't seem to force everything in! *so this chapter is absolutely another cliffie! Sooo soooorrrry!***

**The good news is that Chapter 12 is nearly done, I just gotta tweak it a bit more.**

**Waiiiih, I hope this chapter's not too dull! , (sorry again!)**

**+this weeks been pretty busy for me+**

**Yossssh! Special thanks to!!**

**Nahmae! ,**

(thanks for helping me with the editing and stuff! Ty ty!)

**Midnight Hikari, **

Here's chapter 11! Hope you enjoy it! (can't wait for your update as well!)

**Kurozu Elric,**

Thanks for the awesome review! That got me totally fired up! ^,^

**Yukithesnowprincess**

Thanks for the support! ^,^

**And many more! I would also like to thank my fellow forumers in Mangafox for checking out my Fic!**

**Thank you everyone! You guys are such an inspiration to me! ^,^**

**Watch out for Chapter 12– The Fake Gate.**


	12. Chapter 12 The Fake Gate

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 12– The Fake Gate.**

"Open fire."

"NOW!" Hohenheim shouted as he dived towards the pillar to his right while Ed leaped towards where Alphonse was still hiding. The bullets tearing through his coat.

"SHOOT THEM!" Came Hess's voice over the thundering of gun shots.

"Brother!" Alphonse had reached out to catch Edward as he staggered to where he hid.

"Al, old man's gonna clear a path for us, head for the rocket, don't turn back!" Edward instructed his brother as he staggered back on his feet while Hess's voice came again, "Don't just stand there! GET THEM!"

Edward's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of light flashing bright to his right making his head snap towards the source of it in time to see Hohenheim transmute the pillar and the ground beneath him.

_**SSSHHHHHHHHRRRR!!!!**_

A mighty dragon carved from stone rose, the sound of gun shots did not waver as horrified screams filled the air, " What the hell is that?!" "Ahhh! Monster!" "Shit! Watch out!"

"Demons! The work of devils!" at this, Edward bet it came from that ignoramus Hess.

"Get out of the way!" Another man cried as the serpent like creature launched itself at them, making them duck out of the way in the same heart beat.

Edward, who was alert and was watching the serpent –as it trashed its head and knocked down chunks of the ceiling, -saw the opening his father had promised as the Thule's men scattered and dodged the beast's vicious blows.

"NOW AL!" He yelled as he grabbed Al by the arm, half dragging him out of their cover, leading him to a full sprint towards the confusion and chaos the room now hosted.

"Hess! BEHIND YOU!" Haushofer 's voice came from somewhere near the door as Hess had just collected himself from the floor, (where he had landed when he dodge the ferocious serpent's tail.) an unsuspecting Hess immediately turned to look back, in time to catch Edward's fist square on his face. He let out a yelp of utter shock as he was again thrown back down on the floor by the impact. "That's for hitting me before!" Edward managed to yell back, not stopping from his full sprint towards the door. Alphonse right on his heel, _"he just couldn't let it go!"_ he sighed as he shook his head.

The dragon trashed around again, knocking down a wall at the far east side of the ballroom sized room. The men with guns leaping out of its way just seconds before the stone body of the creature made contact with their flesh.

"Don't let Elric get away!" Haushofer called from the door way, a few of his men who had heard him turned and spotted Edward and Al, still on their full sprint, heading towards the double doors.

Edward registered Haushofer's voice and ducked down under a table as his men began showering his wake with bullets, missing Alphonse by mere inches.

"DAMN IT!" Ed cursed as the bullets pelted towards them still, the serpent like dragon still trashing around as Hohenheim continuously transmuted its body, making it turn and slither, confusing the Thule's men as they attempted to both hit Hohenheim and not make any contact with the stone beast.

"FORGET THE DRAGON! AIM FOR HOHENHEIM!" Haushofer nearly shrieked as the dragon's rampage nearly made a wall fall down on him.

"Brother, what now?!" Al hissed as he ducked his head even more, chunks and splinters of the table flew in the air as the bullets made contact with its surface.

"Al, give me your pocket knife!" Ed demanded suddenly yanking Alphonse by the arm, and digging at his brother's front pocket before Al even had the time to answer.

The serpent knocked down another wall as it rose and wrapped itself against a stone pillar, its body constricting near the pillar's base, making it snap in half, the pillar fell with a load crash and made a hole at the upper walls of the huge room, Haushofer's men continued to aim at Hohenheim, avoiding another close call with the serpent's body. A shower of rubble bathed the Thule's men as the room was engulfed with a huge explosion of dust.

Hess stood up by then and yelled, "Kill that demon! KILL HIM!" his voice slightly muffled as he commanded through a hand that was mopping at his face, forcing his mouth and nose to spot from bleeding.

Haushofer was yelling orders as well, as dozen more men raced to the scene, alarmed by the sudden disturbance and destruction on this side of the building, "Surround the dragon! Shoot only Hohenheim!" he was yelling, pointing at the head of the beast where Hohenheim was, as he continued to decompose and recompose the great serpent's body, allowing it to move freely as if it was really alive.

"Get that bastard Elric!!" Hess's muffled voice came as well, ordering at least half a dozen more men to pursue Edward.

Edward stole a quick peek from the table's edge, bullets merely missing him by a faction of a second as he ducked down again, making him curse, "Shit! Their blocking the door!" Alphonse followed the mighty serpent with his eyes as it started to slither away through the hole the fallen pillar had made.

"What now brother?!" He asked frantically, knowing that they've got approximately 5 seconds to react before the table collapses from all the bullets it kept getting battered with. "The door is blocked!" He cried in panic.

"When there's no door," Edward flipped the pocket knife to reveal its blade, "we'll _make_ one!" and sliced open his left palm with one fluid movement, not even flinching as the blade cut through his skin. Dark red liquid quickly erupted from the clean cut as he reached for Al's hand and dabbed it viciously against his fresh wound.

Alphonse managed to protest, "You didn't have to cut yourself _that_ much!" as the blood flowed like water from an open tap, a vein twitched on Ed's forehead, knowing this was not the time to get nagged at, "MY HAND SLIPPED!" Ed than pulled away from Al and clapped his hands together, Alphonse imitated his brother, both of them threw their hands to the ground a second before the table gave way.

_**SSHHHHHHRRRRRR!!**_

The ground beneath them shot upward with them riding it like an elevator, avoiding the bullets that would have bore against their backs if they had not reacted soon enough. The shocked men beneath them followed their transmuted earth rose with flabbergasted expressions plastered across their faces, Edward smirked as he saw their jaw drop from the corner of his eye, all the while fighting the urge to turn and say, _"Cool, huh?!"_

The tail of the mighty serpent just disappeared through the hole at the upper walls when Edward launched himself on the air, escaping the pelting bullets that zeroed in on his transmuted elevator.

Hess was running for the door when he heard someone scream in mid air, "HESS, YOU JERK FACE!" making him turn and look up, Edward's boots landed on his face, Ed's knees buckled, absorbing the impact before he launched himself on the air again with a powerful kick on Hess's face, throwing Hess off of balance and forcing the moron to fall on his back hard, against the marble floor, his face bloodier than before as Al landed on his feet at the same time Ed's leap turned to an aerial kick that caught the man running towards them across the chest, the impact of it throwing the man back against more of his cohort. They stumbled down as Ed finally landed on the ground.

Alphonse's landing turned into a sudden crouch as he transmuted the ground beneath him, giant fists erupted from the floor and knocked down a couple more men as Edward grabbed a metal pipe and made a swift turn, all the while transmuting the pipe into a spear, and swung it towards an advancing man's side, the man yelped in pain as he clutched at his side where the spear's metal had hit him. Suddenly Edward drew the spear back in a sudden pulling manner and hit the man that was about to launch at his back, across the guy's stomach making the man immediately fall down on his knees, balling up as if by doing so the pain would ease.

Gun shots made Ed look up in time to see another man aim at his direction, barely having time to duck out of the way Ed raised the spear just at his face as it morphed into a shield in the same heart beat, _"Alchemy is so AWESOME!"_ Edward thought as the bullets showered against his shield. Then the man's gun ran out of bullets and Edward, taking advantage of the quick reload, sprang towards the guy in a "Z" like manner and launched a powerful uppercut against the man's jaw.

The man was knocked out of his socks and fell back with a loud thump, at the same time Alphonse threw his weight at his arms and kicked his feet off the ground, launching his lower body in mid air in time to catch his attacker right across the chest making the man stagger back.

Haushofer screamed something at his men again as more of his troops came rushing towards the scene.

"Al! let's go!" Edward called back as he just knocked the knees out from under another opponent, making the said guy plummet towards the earth. Edward started running towards the wall to the door's immediate right, since more men came rushing through the only entrance.

Ed clapped his hands together as he approached, Al right on his heels, while bullets and screams trailed after them. They had barely noticed the loud crashes, collisions and collapsing sounds that came from different side of the building as Ed transmuted a door and got through it with Al, bullets missing them again by a fraction of a second.

Screams came after their escape as thundering foot steps rushed towards the door Ed had created, but Ed wasn't going to let them use this door, he clapped his hands again as Alphonse helped him shut the door and then threw his hands against the wood and transmuted it back to a wall.

Edward swore he heard some of them hit the door before it vanished into a wall.

Losing no time at all Edward yelled "Hurry" to Alphonse as he ran towards the corridor, Alphonse managed a quick, "Hai!" as another explosion drown every other noise out.

"_Old man must be doing a pretty good job with the foundations!" _He thought as he ran faster down the hall, leaping aside as a chuck of the ceiling nearly fell on top of him.

"THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" Someone screamed from the far end of the corridor, Ed stole a quick glance back and saw at least a dozen men chasing after them, "Damn it!" He cursed again whilst clapping his hands together and ran to touch the wall on his left, transmuting it to rubble along with a healthy part of the ceiling, showering the their pursuers with it.

Their stalkers, caught off guard, bumped into one another as the heap of rubble showered over their heads and created a huge dust explosion, temporarily rendering their sight useless.

Edward snatched this opportunity and yanked Al at the next turn, nearly throwing him into the room, and then turned immediately back at the door once he was inside. Edward immediately sealed the door with alchemy as Al got his balance back.

Edward glanced upward as the bright glow of the transmutation caught hi attention, "Old man!?" Edward called out as Alphonse dashed across the room towards heaps of paper works that littered the desks, but then he stopped before he reached it as he spotted a heap of old armors against the wall, an idea coming to mind.

Edward rushed to the external controls of the rocket, not waiting for his father to answer back he pulled at a lever, readying the rocket for launch. As he pulled another switch down he heard another collapsing noise coming from somewhere in the building. _"Ack! The building is collapsing too soon!"_ he hissed in his thoughts before snapping his head up, the building looked like it was about to come down as rubbles fell from the ceilings while cracks suddenly appearing on the walls, as if confirming that they've only got a few more minutes before the building totally collapses.

A flash of bright light registered on Ed's peripheral vision making him turn to its source. Al was crouched low against the heap of lifeless armors that was now bathed with light, a second later the armors rose to their feet and ran towards the windows and shut it tight, preventing anyone from entering through it. "Al! Get up and climb on the rocket!" Edward commanded as he pulled another lever down.

Distant screams joined the collapsing sounds as the building wobbled again as larger chunks of the ceiling came down with deafening crashes.

Another flash of bright light, Edward's head snapped back towards his brother's direction, the lighting like light crawling away from Al, resembling slithering snakes as it raced through the ground, climbing canopies and raced towards the center of the ceiling. Edward ran towards Alphonse and yanked him on his feet while yelling, "Let's go _now!_" and dragged Al towards the rocket.

More deafening crashes and screams of horror filled and echoed off the crumbling building as Ed and Al finally managed to get on the rocket and strapped themselves in.

Alphonse started switching on devices and turning on items on his dash board when Edward glanced up at the glowing transmutation circle, the rocket's nozzle flared at the same time his eyes finally located his father, in that brief second Edward's pair of golden eye's locked with his father's.

Unspoken gratitude and emotion reached out for Hohenheim making a small smile spread across his lips as the circle's bright blue light began to turn purple. By then the rocket's nozzle emitted a steady flare. Edward swore he saw to big wads of tears flow down from his fathers face before the scene was engulfed with the blinding light. The launch sequence forgotten as the rocket immediately shot up the moment the gates burst open above them. Edward refocused on what was happening and took command.

The screams of men and the sound of the collapsing building were immediately drowned out by the rocket's launching blast.

Alphonse looked up before the rocket was engulfed by the gates. _"We're almost home!"_ A cloud of emotion warred in his thoughts, but before he could even begin to wonder what he was actually feeling he felt droplets of water pelt against his left cheek, _"Eh?! Is there a leak somewhere?"_ he suddenly wondered where the water could have come from before glancing at Ed, whose whole focus was on the gates.

***

The bright light that came through the thin blinds of her window awoken Winry, she slowly sat up admiring the beautiful day before she glanced down at her bedside table, her eyes locking at the sight of the silver pocket watch that was nestled inside a finely crafted box.

Smiling, she picked it up and held it near her face, her eyes glinting with long buried emotions as she spoke with a gentle voice, "Just a little bit more." Her smile growing softer still as she clutched Edward's old pocket watch tighter in her hands.

She was really grateful that the Fuhrer asked her to hold onto it until Ed returns. It meant a lot to her that he gave her the honor of handing it to Edward when the time comes, "sort of a welcome gift", the Fuhrer had called it.

Gently, she opened the watch and stared at the inscription Edward had carved himself:

**Don't forget**

**3. Oct .10**

"I know you won't forget." She whispered as she closed the lid of the watch, the silence that followed was only broken by the urgent ringing of the phone, startling Winry a bit.

She stumbled on her feet and out of her room before the 1st ring even ended, and managed to pick up the receiver on phone's second ring.

"Hello?" Winry asked, nearly breathless.

"Winry-chan?" came Brigadier General Hawkeye's voice, "Head for central office as fast as you can! I'll be waiting for you at the gates. We are reopening the gates no~"

Winry didn't even wait for Riza to finish as she answered, "Hai" and hung up, dashing towards her room a second later. She got dressed in less than 10 seconds, not bothering to tie her hair up as she shoved her boots on. As she was back on her feet she grabbed her tool box and shoved Ed's watch in her pocket.

Winry dashed out of the room, only stopping to grab a comb before darting out of Riza's apartment.

Pissed with how unluckily empty the streets were –when she desperately needed a cab, she paced impatiently up and down the sidewalk. "Shit! Come on! Come on!" She hissed jerking her head up to look up and down the road. _"Nothing!"_

She paced impatiently again. It was roughly 20 seconds ago that she received Riza's phone call, and every second that passed kept tugging at her impatience, making her paces accelerate with every turn. Then…

"Winry-neechan!" Someone called making her turn in mid-pace. She saw a girl, looking like she was at least 8 years old, run towards her.

"Elicia?!" She blinked in surprise as Elicia leap towards her, Winry caught her in her arms just in time.

"Found you!" She giggled as she hugged Winry. "Good morning Winry-chan." Gracia called as she jogged towards where Winry and Elicia were.

"Let's play together today bid sister!" She nearly sang the words as she pulled away to smile at Winry.

Winry automatically threw her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Elicia-chan, but I'm in a hurry today, I really need to go n~Ah!" She suddenly set down Elicia beside Gracia as a cab turned at the corner of their street. "TAXI!" she called, waving her arms above her head. Elicia pouted and asked, "Why not??"

"Elicia-chan, I'm really sorry!" Winry answered apologetically, kneeling beside the pouting girl, "Some important people are arriving, and I have to be there when they do." She said beseechingly, pulling Elicia in a quick hug as the cab pulled up at the side walk, "I promise I'll make it up to you!" She called as she threw her tool box in the cab and shut her door. She smiled apologetically again towards Elicia and Gracia before turning to the cab driver, "Take me to central! NOW!"

The cab sped up in no time, leaving Elicia and Gracia at the side walk staring after it. "Mommy, why was big sister in such a hurry?" Elicia asked, still staring after the cab as it raced past a red light.

Xxxxxx

In no time at all Winry arrived with Riza at the Ruins of Xerxes, located directly under central.

Everyone was in a hurry to get to their posts as the time came to open the gates.

"What happened? Why did the Fuhrer suddenly decided to open the gates??" Winry asked as she ran behind Riza while they weave past other soldiers that hurried to get their stations.

"A few minutes ago the transmutation circle Dr. Marcoh drew started glowing, someone is trying to open the gates on the other side." Riza explained, not slowing down from her half-sprint.

Winry doubled her pace as she tried to keep up with her, "Ed and Al?" she asked.

"We are not sure but we are ready for anything." Riza's head jerked towards the line of men half hidden behind bomb shelters. Winry saw Armstrong stand in front of the line of soldiers; obviously, he was in charge of them.

Her chain of thoughts was interrupted by the flash of bright light that came from the huge transmutation circle just a block away from where they were. As they neared the clearing of the ruins, the transmutation circle glowed again, emitting bright lights that bathe Mustang and Dr. Marcoh with a bluish glow.

"_Just a little bit more!"_ her constant reminder never failed to comfort her. Riza then lead her towards the building behind the makeshift bomb shelter, Riza already explained to her that she was to hide at the radio post with Feury as the Fuhrer handles the situation, however it may turn out.

Dr. Marcoh rushed to Roy's side and handed him the stones and his ignition cloths, "Sir, everything is all set." Dr. Marcoh reported, saluting.

"Good, now step back. We'll proceed." He slipped on his gloves as he yelled back, "I will open the gats now!"

The circle glowed brighter as he took a step towards it, "Steady men!" he ordered through a radio receiver before handing it to Dr. Marcoh.

The tension was unbearable.

He held up the stone at arms length, just above the circle.

"_To open the gates, one must pay the passage fee, the stone is made of pure life energy, and the energy will be taken as the equivalent exchange."_ Roy recited the logic as he activated the circle, bathing the ruins with a shower of blinding light.

Roy forced his eye to see through the blinding haze, "Yes! The gates are opening!" he yelled victoriously as the bright light changed to purple.

But suddenly….

His hand that held the stone was suddenly engulfed by a morphing object that seemed to assemble piece by piece.

Like watching something blew up into a thousand tiny pieces play in reverse, rebuilding instead of scattering.

Roy's horror stunned him into silence as the forming thing just on his outstretched hand take form, a monstrous creature grew. Its belly suddenly opening like a mouth revealing a single eye that bore into his.

**End of Chapter 12– The Fake Gate.**

**Ichi Notes: Waiiih! I'm finally done with chapi 12!**

**I hope this would make up for the huge cliffie on the last chapter! **

**(Then again, I always write the chapters as cliffies! ,)**

**THANK YOU GUYS FOR STAYING WITH ME UP UNTIL NOW!**

**THANK YOU OH-SO MUCCCCHHHH!!**

**Ps. If there is anything that has bothered you in this chapter please tell me, ^.^**

**I haven't fully edited this one yet, so pardon me for any wrong use of words / any grammatical errors! ^,^**

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**Watch out for Chapter 13– The Indecision.**


	13. Chapter 13 The Indecision

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (though I wish I do…), respecting FMA, I will do my best to make this Fic' realistic and acceptable. Hope you guys enjoy it! ^_^

**Chapter 13 – The Indecision**

"The transmutation is going on smoothly." Feury reported on the radio as he switched on controls and intertwined connections. He was in charge of getting the information around as Dr. Marcoh briefed him about the current state of the operation.

Winry looked out of the window, the transmutation circle glowed brighter, and then to her astonishment, it had glowed gold as double doors appeared out of nowhere. The anticipation of what she knew was to follow getting her hyped. _"Just a little bit more!! They'll be home!"_

But her sudden burst of blissful excitement was brought up short as a dozen of things seem to happen at once. "Wait!? Wha~? OH!" Feury's out burst made Winry jump, a few seconds later there was a loud explosion like sound coming from outside that was followed by a flood of defiant screams of horror. "Code red! Code red!" Feury was shouting now as Winry whirled in utter shock, Feury was already on his feet, flipping on switches and yelling to receivers, a look of dread and panic was plastered on his face.

-xXx-

"Fuhrer!!" Dr. Marcoh called as Roy was thrown back while the circle glowed gold and the double doors of the gates burst open.

Roy staggered to his feet as Dr. Marcoh raced to his side after briefing something on the radio. "SHIT! That caught me off guard!" Roy spat, his eyes not trailing away from the gates while the doctor helped him steady his footing.

"Get the men out of range!" Roy ordered before the doctor could even speak.

"Sir?!" Marcoh felt his jaw drop in confusion, surely if they were under attack the Fuhrer would send his men _in_ and not get them _out_.

Then as if to answer his unspoken question a monster of immense mass emerged as the blinding light of the transmutation ebbed away, its features looked human but at the same time it was not. Its body was boulder like that was propped on its arms instead of its legs and the lower body was replaced by three tail like extension of its own flesh, each tip of its tail replaced by heads. Its great belly opened wide like a mouth, vicious razor like teeth framing it while it held a single eye in the center of the blackness.

The creature's mouth salivated as it raised its head up high, sniffing out the scents that promised to silence his hunger pangs. Its tongue caressed its lips hungrily as its eyes squinted in delight. "Mustang!"

The head of the huge beast snapped toward the direction of the Fuhrer, its eyes were malicious as its tongue did a retake of caressing its lips, "FOOD~!" and launched itself at Roy and Marcoh without further warning.

Mustang's eye grew wide as the beast threw itself at them, instinctively he lunged himself sideways pushing Dr. Marcoh and himself out of the creatures path.

"AAAHHH!!" The doctor tumbled sideways, rolling like a log down a hill before a wall broke his fall, while Roy did a drop roll and caught himself upright at the same time his hands flew in front of him. With a crunchy _snap_, a burst of flames claimed the beast.

"Doctor, are you okay?!" Mustang called back rather urgently after the first explosion was joined by screams of horror. "I-I think so!" the doctor replied at once as he pushed himself upright.

"Get all of the men out!" He snapped again as the creatures head erupted from the cloud of smoke his explosion had created.

"Killed Lust…. Lust!!!" it yelled as he sniffed out Mustang again.

"NOW!" Roy ordered, suddenly on his feet and sprinted into a run, creating a huge arch between himself and the creature that stood by the gates. _"I have to get my men out of here!"_ he thought feverishly as he glared at the mouth on the beast's belly, remembering far too well what the creature capable was of.

Another snap was followed by an explosion of flames on the creatures back. It yelped in pain and angrily turned towards Mustang. "You killed Lust!!" its tail like extension suddenly in motion, slithering like a snake towards Roy. He ducked out of the first attack. Snapped his finger and directed his flames towards the tail's mouth, burning away the creatures flesh, the tail coiled on itself in response as the second tail launched a counter attack, Mustang stood his ground as the tail advanced with unbelievable speed, with another snap of his finger he directed the flames towards the beast, burning its eyes out and missing him by mere inches.

Mustang, busy with the second tail did not see the third attack coming, he was hit across the chest and was thrown back against the ruins like a fly swatted out of the way.

He gave out a chocked cry of pain as his back collided with the wall, the reverberation of the collision sent tremor s through out his body as he fought to stay conscious.

Taking advantage of his attack the creature leaped after Mustang, its huge mouth-like belly opening wide as Roy hit the wall, preparing to swallow Mustang whole.

"Face the artistic Alchemy that has been passed down to generation after generation of the Armstrong's!!!!"

Armstrong suddenly came flying into the scene and punched his fist to the ground as he landed, creating huge rock spikes that shot up in time to pierce the monsters side, saving Roy from being monster-chow.

The creature cried out in pain and staggered back as more of the rock spikes came after his retreat.

"Sir!" Riza came running towards the battlefield managing to get herself positioned in time to catch Roy's fall, "Sir, are you okay!?" She asked frantically after managing to get Roy and herself upright, cold sweat ran down her face as Roy stabled himself, coughing up blood before retorting, "Get back to your post General!"

Taken aback Riza's eyes grew wide, Roy took advantage of her sudden silence and added "That's an order!" before he fully propped himself to his feet, Riza still in shock scrambled to get up as screams sounded off through the ruins.

Roy's eyes were trained on the beast as Armstrong launched another batch of spikes towards him, piercing his flesh and forcing him to back off. "Get back to your post and _don't_ die! I need your support while we dispose Gluttony" He said fiercely while forcing his body to straighten up.

Riza seeing the resolve in that eye of Roy's, straightened up and saluted with a firm, "Roger" before dashing back to her post.

-xXx-

"What's happening?!" Winry demanded as Feury yelled commands at receivers.

"RETREAT! That is an order! Back down now!" He was yelling seeming to not hear Winry's question.

"What's going on?!" She demanded again, raising her voice to get Feury's attention, another explosion like sound sounding off making her and Feury flinch away from the blast. Feury looked up then and saw her stare at him in shock.

"We've got a situation! Something suddenly appeared when the Fuhrer opened the gates!" Feury blurted out, not wasting anymore time to look at Winry he grabbed another receiver, briefing other posts about the situation.

"What?!" Windy asked in shock and turned to look out of the window in sudden haste.

Then there was another explosion like blast as a burst of flame erupted from somewhere near the opened gates.

-xXx-

"You are no match for my artistic alchemy!" yelled the muscled man as he picked up a huge boulder and tossed it above his head, his arm pulling back as the boulder rose in the air and caught it with a fierce punch before it crashed onto the floor. The boulder was alchemized into a dozen spear-heads that showered at Gluttony.

Throwing his head back in pain Gluttony let out a shriek as the spear-heads punctured his skin and dug deep in his flesh.

All the while Riza began to retreat to her post, glancing up she saw more soldiers coming to back them up. "No! Get back to your post!" She ordered, Havoc stared at her in disbelief but nodded and ordered his men back.

-xXx-

Roy trotted to Dr. Marcoh's side as Armstrong fought Gluttony. "Doctor! What's the situation!? Report!" He ordered, slightly limping, his expression contorting with pain as his body continued to protest from his sudden movements.

"Sir! I don't know how Gluttony could have appeared!" He exclaimed at once, his hand slightly shaking as he lowered the receiver of the radio to answer Roy.

Roy glanced back at the fight between Armstrong and Gluttony, his men backing up Armstrong with bullets from their posts as Armstrong has hit a boulder with his right and shower Gluttony with his alchemized weapon. The beast yelped in pain and was suddenly bathed in red alchemic light.

It threw a deranged look at Armstrong and launched its tail at the General. Armstrong ducked out of Gluttony's mighty tail whips and grabbed the fleshy extension as it missed him. Enraged, the beast charged another tail at Armstrong, Armstrong saw the attack coming and raised the tail he had grabbed in time to block the attack.

The Homunculus yelped in pain as his own teeth dug his own flesh; all the while Mustang did a rerun of events in his head, racking his brain for an explanation.

"How come Gluttony is here?!" He hissed in frustration while his eyes narrowed as his mind failed to make the slightest bit of connection. "What could have possibly caused this monster's reappearance?! How did he~" As if to save him some time the answer presented itself in front of him; Gluttony was once again bathed in red alchemic light as his wounds healed in immense speed, regenerating.

"The stones my men gathered!" he gasped in sudden realization. "Could it be that it came from Gluttony!?" The shock did not vanish from his face as he prepared himself to reenter the fight.

Dr. Marcoh grabbed his arm before he could have flung himself forward, his own face filled with his own bewilderment. "Fuhrer! That must be it!" he gasped in horror and turned his face towards the fight. "Those stones! It could have been part of his original core!!"

"Shit, I told them to retreat!" Mustang hissed between his teeth as he spotted some of the backup dangerously getting close to Gluttony, they showered him with bullets to back Armstrong up.

"Fuhrer, wait!" Dr, Mracoh tugged at Roy's arm as he saw that Roy was about to rejoin the fight. "You're injured! You can't fight!" he said, half dragging Roy back. Roy yanked his arm away immediately and hastily threw himself into a sprint before Marcoh could have stopped him again, "I can't just watch my men risk their lives!" He called back as he raised his right hand in front of him while his left still clutching at his side. A burst of flame was directed at Gluttony the moment Roy had snapped his fingers.

Dr. Marcoh did not chase after Roy as he yelled, "But in your condition you might get killed!!!" He stared after Roy for exactly two seconds before turning back to his duty when Roy showed now sign of turning back from the fight. "Retreat! Retreat! Don't send anymore men! Get everyone out of range!" He was yelling again at the receiver all the while forcing his mind to come up with a way out of this mess.

"_Gluttony's core is the Philosopher's stone; he'll just regenerate even if we could kill him! Though I know how to destroy his stone I doubt I'd be able to get close enough!"_ His mind racing through more thoughts as bullets continued to sound off along side flame explosions. Gluttony trashed around as his body was continually bombarded, his regeneration continued without a pause.

"No one let's me eat!!!!" It complained trashing as much as before. Then a sudden burst of flames burned nearly every flesh in his body, he let out another tortured yelp of pain and turned around at the direction of the flame while he regenerated. He saw Mustang approaching, his eyes squinting with that same murderous delight it had from the start, "Killed Lust! You killed Lust!!" it bellowed as it opened the mouth on its belly wide, readying himself to pounce at Roy, the pain of the bullets puncturing him was completely ignored.

Mustang immediately stopped in his tracks as Gluttony threw himself at him, instinctively he leapt out of the way with a drop roll to his side, narrowly escaping Gluttony. Immediately he turned, not wanting to expose his back to his opponent, Armstrong came in and backed him up, destroying the ground beneath the monster, Gluttony staggered as the ground on his feet collapsed, Roy jumped back and pressed himself against the building behind him and aimed a few more burst of flames at the beast, Gluttony ignored the flames and leaped towards Mustang again.

Roy having nowhere to run, stared wide eye at Gluttony's opened belly, then he saw the opening beneath the beast, he dashed towards the homunculus head first as Gluttony had thrown himself in the air, he lunged himself to the ground in a swift slide maneuver, and escaped. Gluttony collided with the building, and a dust explosion engulfed the scene. Roy ran to Armstrong's side, there was a temporary seize fire as Gluttony vanished from sight. Roy Forced his eye to make out the outline of the beast in the dust explosion, the cloud of rubble cleared as sudden as it had came and Roy saw a huge crater like hole on the buildings side.

Then the homunculus leapt upwards, Roy followed the jump with his eyes as his men began firing again, _"for a beast with immense mass he sure could jump high!"_ Roy raised his hand up and snapped his fingers together; flames raced towards the airborne homunculus and caught up with him immediately.

The homunculus fell in a heap of flames and coiled in on himself as the flames continued to burn at his flesh, Armstrong took advantage of the situation and directed more spikes at the beast, Gluttony, though still in the middle of extinguishing the flames, saw the attack coming and jumped out of the way, he crashed into a building to his right, the building gave way and began to collapse, the soldiers positioned near its foot scrambled to get out of the way, but it was too late, the collapsing building buried them to the ground.

"Damn it!!" Roy cursed under his breath. _"This fight is getting more and more out of control! My men will all get killed if I don't do something fast!"_ He shot a glance towards the gates, suddenly remembering what this mission was for in the first place.

-xXx-

Dr. Marcoh watched the battle as he continued to analyze the situation, everything was happening so fast, a minute has not even passed and yet half the ruin was already in rubble. Desperately trying to find a way to destroy Gluttony he forced his brain to come up with an answer. _"Though we know he'll eventually die if we continued to kill him we still could not relay on just that! He's HUGE! We can't kill him fast enough! He's more destructive than before, what to do, what to do? Think Marcoh, think!!!" _He commanded himself while watching Roy dived under Gluttony to escape the homunculus, Gluttony crash into the building in front of him, creating an explosion of rubble, when the rubble subsided he saw that the side of the building was gone, like it was bitten off. Then it hit him. He glanced up, his eyes immediately locking on the open gates.

Gluttony leapt upwards and was aiming again to swallow Roy. Roy, not letting this beast get his way, directed his flames at him. The homunculus immediately lost control of his leap and fell onto the ground in a heap of flames.

"That's it!" The doctor exclaimed and threw himself into a sprint towards the fight at the same time Gluttony had thrown himself against a building when Armstrong aimed more spikes towards him.

-xXx-

Roy and Armstrong ran side by side towards the beast, it was trashing the whole place so much that buildings kept collapsing at its wake. "General! Get the men out of here! I'll distract him!" He ordered, catching sight of some of his men half buried in the rubble, "Sir would you be able to handle him on your own?!" Armstrong turned slightly to look at Roy.

"There's no time for that!!" Roy snapped at him while directing more flames towards Gluttony, forcing the homunculus to back away, he was nearing the communication tower where Feury was posted, if he destroys that they'll lose contact with the other squads, this fight was hard enough to deal with as we speak.

"Sir the gates! Force Gluttony back towards the gates!!" Dr. Marcoh came running towards them, Roy immediately jerked his head towards the approaching doctor as the beast rose to its feet again, ready to sprint and swallow everything in its path.

-xXx-

"General Hawkeye!! The doctor wants you to assist the Fuhrer to force the enemy towards the gates!" Feury briefed Riza as he just received Marcoh's command.

Everything was happening so fast Winry was having trouble keeping up, all that registered was loud explosions and collision noises as Feury circulated orders and information nonstop. But the mention of the gates cleared the fog in her mind, alerting her immediately. "Wait! They're closing the gates _now?!_ No! Edward and Alphonse have not passed yet!" She demanded, remembering that less than a minute ago Riza had explained to her that someone was knocking on the other side of the gates.

"We've got no time!" Feury did not even spare her a glance as he busied himself with his work, "Lieutenant Falman, the doctor wants your men to back up the Fuhrer, we are forcing the enemy back towards the gates." He repeated the plan.

Winry felt her heart falter, _"they are going to close the gates before Ed and Al even get through."_ Panicking she rushed towards the stairs of the tower while yelling, "No! Wait! We can't! Just give them a bit more time!" she dashed down the stairs taking two steps at a time, not even stopping as Feury called after her.

"WAIT! Let Edward and Alphonse pass first!" She was screaming still, not really addressing anyone, she made her way through the doors of the building and ran towards the direction of the huge double doors of the gates. A building was collapsing in the distance, there was utter chaos, and bullets were showering everywhere as she forced her legs to go faster.

There was another burst of flames, it was close but Winry could not see what was happening as a building was blocking her view of the battle, nor did she stop to check what it was, the gates gleamed at her through the opening in front and that was all that mattered to her right now, she wasn't too late to stop them from closing the gates.

"No please wait! Please wait!" She passed wounded soldiers that were apparently retreating, some had told her to retreat as well but she did not pay them mind. "We've come so far! Please wait!!! Ed and Al… Please _wait_!"

-xXx-

"What?!" Roy bellowed as the doctor instructed him to force Gluttony back towards the gates. Gluttony crouched down, preparing itself to spring at them. "No! We still have to wait for Fullmetal!" Roy tore his eyes away from Gluttony and glanced around, spotting some of his men limping away while others were being helped out of the rubble by fellow soldiers. The moment he took his eyes away from Gluttony, Gluttony launched himself at them, opening his belly wide.

"Fuhrer, watch out!" Screamed Marcoh from a few feet behind them, Roy looked back at the beast as Armstrong rushed to get the doctor out of the way. He directed another wave of flames towards the beast. Gluttony eyes got burned and he trashed his head around in pain, his eyes immediately starting to regenerate.

"Shit! No choice!" Roy hissed as he jumped back when Gluttony's tails whipped at where he stood.

Roy knew that there was no time to ponder his options further, his men were getting injured, if he so much as prolong the beast's disposal even for a minute his men might suffer the consequences and die, he had to act right away, so there was no other choice but to follow Dr. Marcoh's suggestion, he knew he had to, but he couldn't bring himself to order his men as the indecision came in the form of a plea he heard above all else, "No please wait! Please wait!"

Winry came running towards the opened gates, her face twisted in pain as if she was in mortal agony and continued to scream. "We've come so far! Please wait!!! Ed and Al… Please WAIT!"

**End of Chapter 13– The Indecision.**

**Yay! Chapter 13 is finally out!! XD**

**1****st**** of all, thank you so much for beta-ing this Midnight Hikari!!!**

**Sorry again for the wait and thank you so much for bearing with me up to this chapter!**

**I hope you enjoy this one!!!! XD**

**(ack, I don't think I'd be able to post chapter 14 right away because our exams are only 3 days away!!! Waiiih! I need to study for that! I'd probably post chapter 14 next week though, I promise!! XD )**

**Oh, and most of the fights/monologues happen simultaneously so you might notice that things keep happening again and again in different point of views. XD ( I don't know, action has never been my forte! +nor do i have a forte in the 1st place!! XD +)  
**

**Thank you again oh-so much everyone!!**

**^_^ Please read and review!! (Feedback makes me write faster, LoL)**

**THANK YOU!!**

**Watch out for Chapter 14– Epiphany.**


	14. Chapter 14 Epiphany

**The 'END' of the Story's End.**

**By: Ichi-chan (DaRkNeSs4IcHi)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, and can not own it no matter how much I want it~! XD

First of all: I'M SO SO SOOOOO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE~! I didn't mean to update so late, I swear~! But I have been REALLY, REALLY busy! Midterm is THOUGH! And I had a lot of things going on lately. So sorry for making you wait!

And thank you for your patience and for bearing with me still. XD And finally here's chapter 14~! Hyohoooo~!

**Chapter 14 – Epiphany**

Edward tore his gaze away from the scene above as the gates burst into existence, he busied himself with the controls of the rocket as the building threatened to collapse at any moment. Alphonse, who was busy doing the same thing, remained oblivious to Ed's silent struggle.

Itching to climb out of the rocket and dash up the stairs to where his father was, or by now, probably has been, Ed concentrated on launching the rocket. Maybe exerting too much concentration to the point that he was now aware of how many dents they have made while assembling the rocket before. When he finally managed to get the rocket's gears moving he looked up to check the opened gates, careful not to look at where his father stood, he quickly snapped his head down, deadpanned. He ran a hasty observation of his surroundings, noting that the armors with Al's soul was doing a good job with blocking all entrances, and without so much as a 'heads up', launched the rocket, forgetting Al's presence behind him in that second while hissing in his thoughts, "The hell with a count down!" in total exasperation.

The rocket shot up and immediately went into its climb, reaching the gates within seconds. Edward's concentration was still forced upon the controls of the rocket. When they almost broke the surface of the gates, Ed finally looked up, but then he caught a glimpse of movement on his peripheral vision making him snap towards the motion due to reflex reaction. Too late to stop his action he stared wide eye at the scene, just in time to see a severed hand disintegrate into oblivion from its final 'farewell wave.'

Ed turned his attention back at the gates the second their rocket broke the surface of it. He felt something cool wash from his cheek but paid it no mind as the nothingness of the gates welcomed their last pass.

-xXx-

"We've come so far! Please wait!!! Ed and Al… Please WAIT!" Winry yelled as she faced the gates, stopping just 50 meters away, her untied hair flying wildly behind her, some locks hitting her face as her sharp turn threw them sideways.

The chaos was much more overwhelming now that she had flung herself in the field. Not really aware of her surroundings she cupped her hands by her mouth and shouted, "Ed! Al! Hurry~!"

There was a defining crash from behind, it sounded like a building collapsed but still she paid it no mind as she frantically surveyed the open gates, "Edward! Alphonse! Hurry home!" She called again.

"_Why is waiting the only thing I can do…"_

Winry felt so helpless, was this all she could do? She felt so helpless to the point she thought she had no more use in this mission than the boulders that scattered the ruins, no, maybe even less useful than those boulders, at least they provided shelter for the soldiers in battle. Suddenly Winry was pulled from her thoughts as someone yanked her by the waist, barely able to make out what just happened she stared wide-eye around. Her eyes immediately spotting the boulder that marked where she stood just a second ago.

Winry stared in disbelief, did she just nearly died? She wondered for about a fraction of a second before she was viciously yanked by the waist yet again. She yelped in shock and immediately jerked her head back, her eyes locking on Roy's face, "Fuhrer~!"

"Winry, this is not the time to space out! Get out of here _NOW!_" He commanded and raised his left hand up, only then did Winry realize that Mustang was carrying her with just one hand around her waist. Flare irrupted from his raised hand the second he snapped his fingers together, Winry cringed away from the flames as it came close to touching her skin.

There was a cry of pain and the automail mechanic immediately snapped her head up to see a huge inhuman beast get burnt.

If she was the type that would faint from seeing nightmarish monster she would be out cold by now, gluttony's head erupted from the flames; he looked like something from a nightmare indeed with the red alchemic light that now engulfed his burned features. Barely aware of what she was doing she struggled out off Roy's grasp and propped herself on her own two feet and whirled to face Roy the second she got her balance back. "Sir, Let's wait for Ed and Al! Please!! We can't abandon them! We _have_ to wait for them!" She pleaded but Roy didn't have the time to answer her as he pulled her out of the way yet again, tucking her under his chin as he dove for cover when Gluttony whipped his tail at them.

Winry heard Roy curse under his breath as he stumbled to get off of her; they had fallen down and dodged Gluttony's attack just in time.

"Armstrong! Get Winry out of here!" Roy bellowed as he finally managed to get up right, and sure enough Winry felt Armstrong's strong hands hoist her up and cradled her against his chest, mostly shielding her as well as restraining her and dashed towards the opposite direction from where Roy was now running to and had not given her the time to protest.

"Fu-Fuhrer, wait! W-we can't close it yet!" she stammered, reaching out towards Roy from Armstrong's tight grip, "Please! You said we'd get them back!" She screamed, on the brink of tears, futilely struggling against Armstrong's hands. Winry felt that helpless pang again, engulfing her, drowning her with the emotions she has been enduring for so long, was this it?

"_Can't bare it anymore._"

Will she be breaking their promise? Will she be crying for something she lost instead of crying due to that happiness Ed had promised?

"_Waiting is really painful… and scary."_

Winry bit at her lower lip in a desperate attempt to not cry as he watched the torn look Roy now wore on his face.

-xXx-

And here it was again, the source of Roy's indecision, further crumbling his resolve to end this fight quickly. He didn't want to hurt Winry like this, he knew she had gone through a lot of hardship before since she was involved with those brothers, and he knew his men are also in mortal peril right now because of him, and yet he couldn't bring himself to do what he should, it felt so wrong to hurt someone who has been waiting all her life.

"_I can pull this off for a few more minutes."_ Roy's thought raced frantically at the possibilities and choices he could make, _"I can handle Gluttony for just a few more minutes and give that bastard Fullmetal sometime."_ Despite himself he mentally smirked at the thought that now occurred to him, _"When that pipsqueak gets back I'll burn his ass for making a good woman like Winry wait."_ And he completely left out the fact that he was no different in some aspect as he too worried a really wonderful woman with his recklessness.

-xXx-

"No! Nonononono!" Her mind was in total distress, all the begging and pleading she wanted to throw at Roy and his men was flooding her mind along side the defining crashes and sound of collapsing structures, but all she let slip were the words that made much sense. "We've come so far! Please wait!!! Ed and Al… Please WAIT!"

An image flashed in her mind's eye, it was that nostalgic image back from when she was still a child. Playing again in her mind was that last glimpse she had of her parents, their retreating backs was etched in her memory along with their promise to her that time, "We will be right back..."

Winry fought with the image and tried to shove it out of her mind but failed, she fought back tears as the image was replaced by the back of a boy with golden blond hair accompanied by a vintage armor, their backs were facing her and they were advancing in a much faster pace it seemed she couldn't keep up, just like her parents they have left a promise for her to wait to be fulfilled, "The next time we make you cry, it'll be out of happiness."

Winry ran towards the gates by this time and called out pleas for Ed and Al, asking them to hurry back.

The image changed and she was now seeing Ed's retreating back accompanied by Alphonse in his original body, the last thing Ed has said to her was, "Go hide somewhere!" She obeyed that time without so much as a pout because she thought she'd have them back right away and just like with her parents, did not expect it to be the last.

Winry felt her chest tighten as she surveyed the void, it was getting really difficult to breath, and it felt like drowning. Ed's voice echoed in her mind, the same words he had said last. "Go hide somewhere!"

"_No! Wait!"_

The memory faltered and was now replaced by another image, she saw Ed stumble out of an air ship sort of machine that has flown and crashed here at the ruins. When Winry called his name he cringed from the sound of her voice, making her inwardly flinch as well. He looked up and called her back, "Winry" and nearly broke her heart.

"_I don't want to lose them!" _There was an explosion from behind and a building collapsed but she did not waste her time to look back and check as she called for them again, "Edward! Alphonse! Hurry home!" Forcing back the tears she was so near to shedding.

"_Why is waiting the only thing I can do…"_

Winry felt useless as she stared into the void of the gates, she felt like she was no more useful than the boulders scattering the area. Before she could put into words more of her uselessness-tirade about herself she was yanked by her waist, cutting her chain of thoughts. Bewildered by the sudden pull she glanced up only to find that her previous spot was not marked by a huge boulder.

Winry stared at the boulder, realization hit that she has just cheated death. Abruptly she was viciously yanked from her thoughts by an identical pull to her waist. She looked up only to stare at Roy in surprise. "Fuhrer~!"

"Winry, this is not the time to space out! Get out of here _NOW!_" Mustang snapped at her, making her inwardly wince as she spotted the similarity Roy and Ed's words had implied.

"_She was no use here, and she would just get in the way."_

Winry felt she wanted to say something but no words came to mind and she just stared at Mustang. Roy raised his left hand, making her realize that he was carrying her by his right. He snapped his fingers and flames irrupted out of nowhere immediately, Winry cringed away from the flames as it nearly brushed her skin.

There was a sudden yelp of pain over head that made her jerk her head towards the source.

The mechanic felt her eyes bulge in its sockets as she stared at the great beast that resembled something from nightmares she once had as a child. His features where shockingly inhuman but still Winry could tell he probably looked human before, he was bathed with red alchemic light that only added to the antagonist aura he was already emitting.

Before Winry could question her sanity, -for not just making her faint and end this nightmare- she unconsciously struggled with Roy's grip. Before she could even make sense of the intension behind the action she turned her back at the beast and went to plead with Roy, "Sir, Let's wait for Ed and Al! Please!! We can't abandon them! We _have_ to wait for them!"

The priority right now was to keep the gates open for Ed and Al. That was what she had told herself, it doesn't matter is she gets hurt, as long as she gets them back. She stared at Roy waiting for an answer but Roy failed to give her one as he suddenly grabbed her without warning, tucking her under his chin as they fell back, there was a 'whooshing' sound that came after them from behind as they hit the floor. Roy was already on his feet cursing under his breath before Winry could feel the pressure he had on her when he hand landed on top of her.

Another image flashed in her mind, as if reminding her. It was an image of Ed ward telling her he will be back and he will be expecting her to bake an apple pie for his return, something she still had to fulfill. Before she could even throw another plea at Roy though, Roy had barked, "Armstrong! Get Winry out of here!" And the next thing she knew Armstrong already hoisted her up and held her across his chest, both in a protective and restraining way.

"Fu-Fuhrer, wait! W-we can't close it yet!" She stammered as Armstrong made to head towards the opposite direction, "Please! You said we'd get them back!" She called nearly hysterical. It was over, Roy will not keep his promise, the euphoria that had been fogging her mind for the past weeks now started to fade away, she was seeing the big picture now, seeing that Roy's men were getting hurt and all because she was holding on to Roy's words, _"We'd get them back"_ She had been depending to much on it, putting on to much fate, she felt know she really knew what Rose had felt back then.

It was maddening, the pain, the longing. It was too much.

"_Can't bare it anymore._"

Roy stopped dead on his tracks and snapped his head back to look at her, his expression was torn and she could only guess it was because of her. What was the emotion on her face that made Roy Mustang think twice of saving his men? Was she this much of a burden to everyone?

An image had flashed again in her mind for the hundredth time today; Ed helped her up and on a chair after he dropped her when she confessed to seeing the inside of his watch. She learned that Ed had not forgotten the past and has actually carried a reminder he thought would help him make the right choices, she had cried that time, for the same reason she had cried before.; she cried in Ed's place and in Al's place, because they were too strong to cry for themselves. Is this her turn to be strong? Winry questioned herself as her peripheral vision caught sight of some men helping others out of the rubble, and some are rushing to aid the Fuhrer.

"People could die Ed! You have to do everything to protect this country! There are no 'what if's! You should stop this." She heard her voice echo in her mind. And as the memory unfold in her thoughts she was able to see it all clearly know; all the sacrifices Ed and Al had chosen, all of those that had denied her of their presence, they were all for the greater good, they were selfless after all. Helping as much as they could and would sacrifice themselves if needed.

A memory played back in her mind again, that time when she came to nearly shooting her parents` murderer, Ed had jumped between her and Scar, and that feat of his could have killed him if Al had not intervened.

They would always do what was right, regardless what their deed would inflict on them. Such selfless people.

And here she was endangering people with the life Ed had saved. She bit her lip as she force down the tears, it was time for her to be strong. To follow Ed and Al's example, regardless of the pain it will inflict on her she must do what was right, these men have their own love ones, would she risk taking them away from their family? Like how she was from hers??

"_Waiting is really painful… and scary."_

Roy stared at her for just a second, and suddenly he looked like he had decided on something and went to battle the beast.

Ed and Al would not want things to be this way; they wouldn't want people risking their lives for them, like before with Mr. Hughes, they would never want to take someone from their love ones.

There were far greater things than her own happiness. Ed and Al would understand if she had to make a choice. "Fuhrer~!" Winry called again from Armstrong's grasp, "Do it!" She called after Roy. The Fuhrer turned mid-step and gawked at her, Armstrong halted as well and stared at Winry in blank surprise.

"Close the gates!" The mechanic clarified as she struggled with Armstrong's hold. Armstrong did not let her off his hold rather, he had pulled her closer into a bone crushing embrace and made a mad dash towards safety while he cried, looking touched. "So courageous! Such a wonderful young woman!" He was saying and half-hugging Winry again as tears continued to flow despite the call for attention the battle was demanding.

Winry closed her eyes, tuning out the loud explosions and gunshots as she focused on a memory she wished with all her heart to relive; walking down on a familiar path towards home, she had Ed and Al on either side of her, laughing and smiling with her without any worries at all.

"_Edward, Alphonse… I will still be waiting to welcome you home."_

-xXx-

Edward stared into the void as streams of images started to fill the emptiness. Soon the film like strips created an intertwined stream of pictures that were flashing in such a fast pace it should not have been possible for them to make out the images, but then again this was 'All' and speed is relative here and does not hold much meaning.

Ed stared ahead and tried to absorbed as much as he could, knowing that he would not pass here again, and that he would not want to in the first place.

Every second that passed equaled to a hundred year or so according to the pictures, Ed had managed to keep up with the pace of 'All' and even managed to keep his head intact as 'All' showcased age old stories of their whole existence.

Then a familiar scenery caught the older Elric's attention, at once he focused on that memory stream that held many familiar things. Immediately he saw his younger self bounce in on the scene accompanied by a younger Al, both of them laughing as they ran around their old home, afterward someone must have called them for the brothers looked up and dashed towards the house, they both kicked their shoes off and appeared to race each other towards the kitchen.

Ed's lungs protested due to lack of air, only then did Edward realize that he was now holding his breath. He exhaled the moment his mother came into view, a loving smile plastered on her face.

It was ironic that it was 'All' that had granted their old wish, though back then they wished to see their mother's smile in person and not just through an old memory, but still seeing her lovingly smile at them like that was enough. Ed knew that the smile would never change, she was a wonderful mother, Ed would never forget that and he was sure Al would never forget that too.

Fullmetal glanced at his side and saw that Al was absorbed with watching the same stream he was, he smiled and turned back to watch the stream as well just in time to see the scene fade into a new one.

Ed recognized the grassy hill that was back at Resembool and it made him smile when he saw the Rockbell's house sitting peacefully a top the stretch of green, his younger self and Al ran towards it, the door opened and a little girl with short blond hair came running towards them, she leapt at them and tackled them down while cackling. She giggled when she looked up and saw his young face frown in annoyance, her deep blue eyes sparkling as he shoved her off of them.

"Winry" Edward murmured, he felt his chest tighten as he saw that small smile of hers shine on his younger self, but all he did back then was pout and avert his gaze, too stubborn to just loosen up and smile back.

The memory faltered and was replaced by a new one, unlike the previous one this one held dark and mute colors, it looked like it was night with a storm accumulating in the sky, he watched as the younger Alphonse cut his forefinger in mimic of his and both of them extending their hand above the transmutation circle in the basement. Edward, who sat in the rocket, turned uncomfortably in his seat, the failed transmutation from way back then still brought a painful sting. He felt his chest tauten in response again, but did not turn his gaze away from the memory.

It was their mistake and they should face it. Ed felt Al fidget in his seat too, he watched the fast paced memory alter and was now staring at himself in an armor's arm covered in blood. Pinako came running to their side, by this time Ed's face was blank, but then he caught a glimpse of Winry frozen on her spot by the stairs, her face in utter shock.

Again, Ed felt his chest constrict as he watched Winry's horrified expression.

The stream continued to flow without pause, Ed watched as their life unfolds, changing from scene to scene, obstacle to obstacle and struggle to struggle, he learned that it was Winry who had watched over him during those nights that he would cry over the pain of the surgery, and he could not have been more thankful that it was her.

Occasionally his chest would tighten again as he recalled all the things he and Al had been through, all the things they've done and all the people they've met. His life was so full of wonderful people and he wondered why has he not noticed it before?

And so his life continues, all the hardship, all the pain, all the loneliness and sufferings had its rewards, from Rose and the people of Lior to the people from the coal mines, and so on. Their journey had been so long, and yet it was worth it.

Suddenly Ed noticed something. He focused on the memory stream and realization hit; Winry showed almost as often as Al did in his life, she was always there, comforting him, supporting them and even giving him strength.

She would smile despite what they've done and would welcome them home with open arms.

Ed suddenly felt impatient. Was it just him or was it taking too long to get through the other side? He fidgeted in his seat and tore his gaze away from the streams. He focused towards the bright ray of light ahead, he supposed it was their exit and he couldn't help but get annoyed that it was taking too long to get there, though in truth not even 2 seconds has passed, the pace of 'All' was just rubbing on him.

Ed turned his gaze back at the memory stream just in time to watch Winry dab a soaked towel on his forehead, he was moaning in his sleep, and had lots of tubes connected to him, but that was not what caught his attention, he watched Winry wipe away the cold sweat he had on his face, she looked so saddened that it nearly broke his heart.

As if on cue Ed clutched at his chest, grasping what he had caused that time, "Pain". Pain to the girl who lost her parents, pain to the girl that comforted them the day their mother died, pain to the girl that had supported him and Alphonse without hesitation.

Pain to the girl who had waited for their return.

"_Winry, is this what you have felt when we have left you to wait for us?"_ Edward thought still watching the stream of events. Every so often Winry would pop again in his life, a smile on her face every time they would leave and head back to their journey.

Suddenly Ed thought he heard someone call his and his little brother's name, he looked up but the voice was already gone.

He glanced back at the memory line again, that second he looked up already made him miss a lot of events, he was now watching the time he so carelessly blurted out the truth about the Rockbell's death in front of Winry. Winry was so shocked and hurt that she nearly broke down. He would never forget how much she cried that time; most of those tears were due to his carelessness.

"What a horrible way to find out" Edward mumbled almost incoherently.

Winry cried, and cried, and cried… all for them, and most of the time because of him, and yet….

"_Back then, thanks for stopping me... There are people waiting for me to return, I almost never saw them again. Everyone's waiting for me… So I'll endure_." And then a weak smile crossed her lips.

"I'll never make you wait again."

"_Edward! Alphonse! Hurry home!"_ A voice echoed, Edward looked up and nearly jumped out of his seat as he recognized it. His smile broadening as he realized what it meant, he looked up and saw that they were nearly through, he saw a light shone bright for them, as if calling them home.

"_**Waiting is really painful and scary… but I'll endure."**_

**End of Chapter 14 – Epiphany.**

**Again, I'm so sorry for making you guys wait~! I was just really busy for the past few weeks, College life can be so DRAINING~! **

***It beats vampire's on a 'Sucking your life out' contest~!***

**Thank you Nahmae for your help on this one~! XD**

**Ack, i haven't even gotten this one Beta Read, sorry about that, and please excuse my incompetence....  
**

**Ack, I think this chapter is by far the longest one. Well it certainly seems long to me…. ^_^U (and the authors note too~! The longest I've made EVER!)**

**But it was fun inserting manga references here~! XD specially 'coz they're my personal favourites~! **_**"Waiting is really painful and scary**_**" is definitely on the top of my list, 'coz it is so true~! XD waiting is painful~! Specially when you're faced with the fact that your waiting is futile. T,T That's the fact that I wanted to emphasize on this one that's why I wrote Winry's struggle TWICE~! *I know, stupid right?? XD lols* well in my defense I wrote it twice 'coz the first one is suppose to show you the series of events, so that later (when you're listening to her inner struggles) you won't get lost with the chaos~! XD it's really hard keeping up with what's happening when you're pondering on some thoughts right? So there~! XD Tee hee hee~! **

**Oh and on Ed's side, I**** had a lot of trouble with the flash backs, *pouts* it was hard keeping track of time when I'm on 'flash back mode' and thus I doubt I gave the 'time is relative' crap much justice~! +What kind of writer am I? Calling my own ideas 'crap'?? lols+**

**I really want to discuss more of this chapter's… 'Scope' but I think my author's note is already TOO long~! *sweatdrop***

**Oh and I wanna mention that I haven't really checked FF for a while and would want to apologize to some authors if I haven't popped up and check your latest updates! +Sorry guys~! I've been really busy! But I will catch up with your works~!+**

**Uwaaaaa~! I'm a horrible person~! *wallows in despair* +I'm a pig! I'm a scum! Depressed! Die!+ (Ahahaha, did I mention I'm in to Soul Eater A LOT lately?? XD Go KidxMaka!)**

**I'll update as soon as I can! I'm working on chapter 15 right now**** actually. I hope I'd be able to finish it on time though.**

**Again……**

**THANK YOU!**

**Ps. I would have posted this a week ago but my minion.... *glares at my 'constantly blackmailed by me' classmate Ricx* forgot to send it to my friend Nahmae and failed to send it to Hikari-chan, and only told me last Saturday...... *sorry!!!!* I know i deserve the flames you guys might throw at me.... T,T I'm so sorry~!  
**

**Watch out for Chapter 15 – Gaining from Sacrifices.**


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